Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word
by WriterGirl516
Summary: Bianca is back in Pine Valley nursing a broken heart. Maggie cheated on her and now is seeking forgiveness. Will they find their way back into each other's hearts?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:** I own nothing. Wish I did, but I don't since they're all property of ABC/AMC. I'm just using them for my own creativity.

**Premise:** I think the title of this story pretty much says it all. Bianca and Maggie are apart. I'm following the canon of Maggie cheating and adding my own twist to things.

**Feedback:** Yes, please. This writer loves it.

**Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word**

_What have I got to do to make you love me  
What have I got to do to make you care  
What do I do when lightning strikes me  
And I wake to find that you're not there  
**-Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word**, Elton John_

Snowflakes continued to fall outside, collecting on the ground. Indeed the holiday season was in full swing. Houses were decorated, malls were packed with crowds and children reveled in the joy of sitting on Santa's lap.

Inside of the Fusion office though, was a whole different story.

Kendall tapped her stiletto-clad foot against the floor, listening as the rings kept coming and coming. "Oh you better pick up," mumbling under her breath. "Pick up. Pick up. Pick up."

Josh looked up and eyed Kendall. "It's a lost cause. When are you going to get that through your head? Maggie is not going to answer any of your calls."

"Oh, she will if it's the last thing I do," Kendall stood from her chair. Grabbing her coat, she stormed towards the back, climbing the stairs to the rooftop. After being ambushed by the sudden chill, Kendall yanked her cell phone from her coat pocket and dialed the multi-digit number once again.

--

Ringing. Incessant ringing began seeping its way into her brain. Just when she thought it would end, finding a moment's peace, it would start again. And then it would stop… and then it would start. Much like a cycle, it was rinse then repeat, as it had been for the past few weeks.

Finally deciding to put it all to an end, Maggie's arm snaked out from under the comforter as it blindly tried to locate the cordless handset. Knocking over empty food cartons in the process as well as half full bottles of Orangina, she managed to grab the phone and press it to her ear.

"He..Hello?" came the feeble greeting. Sadly, she wasn't prepared for the rage that was about to rear its ugly head into her poor ears.

"Maggie Stone, you're an idiot. A coward and an idiot," Kendall's verbal tirade began and she wasn't about to back down. Oh, she was angry and Maggie was about to bear the brunt of it all. "I'd like to know what the hell you're doing… what you're thinking and why the hell you broke my baby sister's heart."

Burrowing out from under the comforter, Maggie sat up on the couch. "I…"

"No, don't speak, because right now, you're going to listen to me and then when I'm done, that's when you'll speak."

"Um… okay."

"You're speaking. God, you don't even listen either."

Maggie didn't reply, she simply gulped and raked her fingers through her hair. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced at the clock, realizing she'd been asleep on the couch all day. Then again, this wasn't anything new, considering her lack of motivation to do anything since Bianca left with Miranda, without so much as a note. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and listened attentively to what the feisty Kane woman had to say.

"You know, I have to say, for you to go and ruin a relationship… you've got some pretty impeccable timing. Just when I'm about to experience utter happiness with my husband and son, in comes my baby sister, all up in everyone's business like the world is about to end. If you were going to do something so idiotic like cheat on her, couldn't you have waited like, oh I don't know… NEVER?!" Kendall said exasperatingly as she sat down on the steps carefully, making sure not to scuff her jeans.

"I'm sorry," Maggie muttered weakly.

"What did I say about not speaking!?" the curly haired beauty snapped back. Then, she chuckled, "I hate to say it, but you're as much of a dimwit as Babe is."

Maggie gritted her teeth, unable to stay silent. "I am NOTHING like Babe."

"Oh, yeah right. She cheated on JR. You cheated on Bianca. Hell, the two of you are related. It seems to run in the family," Kendall smirked, taunting the blonde for a reason. "Your cousin David is dragging everyone into his personal hell. What makes you so different? For all I know, you just threw away the best thing you ever had in your life for some slut named Cecelia."

"ENOUGH!" Maggie growled, eyes filling with angry tears. Within seconds they cascaded down her cheeks. "Enough!! I'm an idiot! I'm stupid! And yes, I made the worst mistake of my life and I can't undo what I did. I ruined everything."

Suddenly, neither woman spoke. For a second, it seemed as though the line had gone dead until Kendall heard the faint sounds of sobbing on the other end.

"Talk to me, Maggie. Tell me what happened," Kendall's tone softened a bit, compassion replacing the anger she felt moments ago.

"I can't. I made a mistake."

"Hey, do you know who you're talking to? I'm the queen of making mistakes. Just talk to me, maybe I can help smooth things a bit. I promise not to scream in your ear again."

Maggie reached for the box of tissues and pulled a few out so she could wipe her eyes. "I made a mistake."

"Yeah, you said that already." It was Kendall's turn to listen as she looked down at her jeans, resisting the temptation to pick at the loose thread she'd just noticed. "Maggie, you broke Bianca's heart. Do you know, it took JR jumping out of a four-story window for her to finally open up about the misery she's feeling. Bianca is a mess and as much as she's trying to hide it, I can tell it's hurting her. She's trying to fix everyone else's relationship problems and avoiding her own."

"I'm sorry," repeating the phrase for what seemed like the millionth time over the course of the last few weeks.

"Sorry is not going to cut it, Maggie," Kendall paused. "It's just not enough."

"I know."

"Why'd you do it? Why did you have to go and mess up the one good thing the both of you had in your lives?"

Maggie ran a hand through her tangled hair once again, hesitating with her answer. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Kendall's brow furrowed. She could feel the anger rising within her but managed to keep it at bay. "What do you mean, you don't know? Don't tell me you got drunk or something."

"No, I wasn't drunk. I was well aware of the situation," pressing a hand to her forehead. The memory vividly played itself out in Maggie's mind.

"So, you knew what you were doing?" She was almost afraid to ask, fearing the next words out of the blonde's mouth.

"Yes," Maggie sighed deeply, "…and no."

Kendall shook her head in disbelief almost as if she were talking to Maggie face to face. It took a cold blast of air for her to realize she was still alone on the Fusion rooftop, accumulating horrendous long distance charges. "Wait… what do you mean, yes and no."

Silence seeped into the conversation again, Maggie still on the couch, surrounded by the mess of books, papers and empty food cartons. Letting her mind drift while pondering a response to Kendall's query, she was brought back to the night everything had fallen apart.

"Maggie, are you still there?"

"Yeah, sorry," Maggie bit down on her bottom lip. Her emotions were now a whirlwind, not sure of how to feel or what to say. All she did feel at the given moment was guilt and mostly anger, which wasn't directed to anyone in particular but herself. "I'm… forget it, I keep saying the same thing over and over again. It's obviously not solving anything. I'm just one huge lost cause."

"Okay, I get it," Kendall scoffed. As much as she wanted to be sympathetic to both her sister and Maggie, the self-pity was beginning to grate on her last nerve. "Seriously, you and Bianca are pathetic. The both of you sound like sad puppy dogs right now and it's just… you know what, tell me about this slut you did it with. What was her name again? Oh yes, Cecelia."

Maggie shuddered at the mere mention of the name. "What about her?"

"Who is she?"

"My former lab partner."

Kendall exhaled slowly. "Okay. Former."

"Yes," the blonde affirmed.

"Did you kiss her?"

"Yes."

"Did you sleep with her?" When Maggie didn't reply, Kendall immediately thought the worst. Sadly, her conclusion was correct. "Oh God, you did," gasping at the realization. "Maggie, why?"

"I uh… I…" Maggie's throat suddenly went dry, reminded of her mistake. Unable to give Kendall an explanation that seemed feasible, she ended the call and tossed the phone to her side.

"Hello?!" Kendall checked the screen of her phone. "Maggie? Hello?" Stuffing it back into her coat pocket, she muttered under her breath, "Coward."

_-end chapter -_


	2. Chapter 2

_So take a look at me now, oh there's just an empty space  
And there's nothing left here to remind me  
Just the memory of your face  
Take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space  
And you coming back to me is against all odds and that's what I've got to face  
**-Against All Odds**, Phil Collins_

Maggie sat on the couch, her face buried in her hands. After a few minutes, she lifted her head, eyes red from all the tears and stood. Now hit with a tension headache, she headed toward the bathroom in hopes a hot shower would put her at ease a bit.

Twenty minutes later, Maggie stepped out of the bathroom, feeling somewhat refreshed as she walked down the hallway. She stood behind the couch and shook her head, staring at the messy living room before her. Granted, ever since Bianca and Miranda left, there wasn't much to care about anymore, but regardless this was still the home she shared with them. It was only right that she kept it in good condition while they were away.

While collecting the numerous empty food cartons, Maggie heard a knock at the door. Recalling how her study group had cancelled today's session, she was completely puzzled at who would be stopping by. After depositing the food cartons into the trash, she made her way to the door and opened it.

Standing at the doorstep was the last person she expected to see.

--

Kendall walked back into the Fusion office, surprised to see Bianca there and with Spike in her arms. Smiling at the sweet moment, she watched her gently bounce the baby boy up and down, eliciting a fit of small giggles. Bianca had a way with children and the fact that Spike was very comfortable in the brunette's arms was an example of that.

"Hi," Bianca looked up at her sister, finally acknowledging her presence in the room. "Where were you?"

"The roof. I needed some fresh air," Kendall replied, slipping off her coat and draping it over one of the chairs.

"Fresh air my ass," Josh entered the room, catching the tail end of Kendall's response. He threw the report he had been reading onto the table and smirked. "Why don't you just tell our dear sister what you were really doing up on the roof, or should I say who you were calling," picking up another report.

Kendall glared at Josh. Almost tempted to say, 'Bite me' but she resisted it and turned her attention back to Bianca. "Like I was saying, I needed some fresh air. Oh look, I think Spike needs his diaper changed," turning Bianca toward the back room where a changing table was set up. "Binks, do you think you can do me this one favor and…"

"Say no more," Bianca headed in the opposite direction with Spike in her arms.

The minute Bianca was safely out of the room Kendall walked toward Josh yanked the folder from his hands. "What the hell was that?"

"What? Oh, you mean me nearly busting you for calling Maggie," Josh replied, wearing a smug smile as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yes, that." Kendall glanced toward the back room. She hoped Bianca wasn't able to hear anything she and Josh were conversing about. "Just stay out of this. You don't even know Maggie."

"I know enough to remind you that she cheated on Bianca."

"Thank you for the news flash."

"So then tell me," Josh continued to lean back in hair chair, raising an eyebrow at the curly haired woman. "Maggie broke Bianca's heart. We both see the hurt on her face, yet you feel the need to make things right between them. Why is that?"

"Because I want our sister to be happy. And Maggie makes her happy."

"I take it you got through? She finally picked up?"

Kendall pushed aside the pile of papers and sat on the edge of the table. "Yeah I did."

"And?"

"And nothing. The phone call got me nowhere."

"What phone call?" asked a voice from behind Kendall and Josh. Bianca stepped back into the main office with Spike. "Kendall, this is the second time I heard Josh say something about a phone call."

Kendall quickly moved off the table and took Spike into her arms. "Oh, it's nothing, just business."

"Yeah, sure… business," Bianca nodded disbelievingly. "Really."

Unable to keep the information to himself, Josh decided he needed to speak up. "She called Maggie. There, it's all out in the open now."

"You what?" Bianca's brow furrowed. She tried to hide the anger and hurt but was unsuccessful. "Kendall, I told you, I will handle my own problems. I don't need anyone fixing them for me."

"Well, you seem to be doing a wonderful job at it," Kendall replied as she bent down to place Spike in his playpen. After handing him his bottle, she turned to the young brunette. "Because really, you've been doing a bang up job at fixing Mom's problems and mine, hell even Josh's but not once have I seen you pick up the phone to call that pathetic girlfriend of yours. In fact, you're pathetic too," earning a piercing glare. "Go ahead, get mad. I don't care. I called her because I love you and I just want to see you happy."

"Kendall…" Bianca sighed, knowing her older sister was correct to some effect. Yet, as much as she wanted to pick up the phone and call Maggie, there was still the looming hurt she felt in her heart. "I… Forget this, I need some air," turning on her heel and storming out of Fusion.

"Bianca!" Kendall called out, watching the elevator doors close. "Augh! Of all times she picks to grow a backbone, it's now," she remarked frustratingly while turning in Josh's direction only to notice the smug grin on his face. "What?!"

"We're just one, big happy family, aren't we?" Josh chuckled.

"Oh, shut up."

--

Maggie stood at the door, stray wisps of hair spread across her face. Without saying anything, she stepped aside to let her guest pass through. Once inside, she shut the door and leaned back against it.

"Oh, you look, um…" Anna eyed Maggie up and down. "I guess horrible would be putting it mildly."

Maggie didn't reply, simply walking past Anna and back into the living room, reclaiming her spot on the couch. Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her knees, sighing deeply before looking back up the older woman.

"Kendall called."

Anna sat down on the couch next to Maggie. "Oh, she did?"

"Yeah, she reminded me how much of an idiot I am and wanted some sort of explanation as to why I broke Bianca's heart." Maggie leaned back on the couch bringing her legs close to her body and wrapping her arms around them, "I couldn't give her one."

Anna placed a comforting palm on the blonde's knee. "Oh sweetie, you are not an idiot."

Tears gathered in the corners of Maggie's eyes, unable to look at Anna, she gazed forward. "I messed up the only good thing I had in my life. Kendall had every right to say it. Because really, once a screw-up, always a screw-up."

"Now you stop right there," Anna moved her hand to Maggie's chin, turning her head so they could look at each other eye to eye. "You listen to me. You are not a screw-up."

"Anna, I am," Maggie replied as a tear fell down her cheek. "I cheated on Bianca. I can't undo that. I did what I did and now I'm suffering the consequences."

Swiping away the moisture from the blonde's face, Anna moved closer and enveloped her in a warm hug. "We all make mistakes. And there's no sense in beating yourself up over this. Come now," loosening the embrace and once again wiping the tears from Maggie's cheeks, "talk to me. I realize that I haven't been around much, but I want to help you. We'll find a way to fix this. But first, you need to tell me how this all happened."

Maggie's heart warmed, feeling a bit comforted by Anna's concern. If there was ever a person that cared more about her than Bianca, it was Anna. "Are you sure you want to hear this? You just got back to Paris and I'm sure you're tired."

"Sweetie, for you I will make time to listen." Anna kicked off her shoes, making herself comfortable on the couch. She eyed the cordless phone, "Maybe we should order some dinner. This could take a while, right?"

Slightly laughing at the suggestion, Maggie nodded. "Yeah. I have the nearest café on speed dial. Just press number 3, I'm going to get us something to drink from the kitchen."

"Okay," Anna nodded.

Maggie made her way toward the kitchen door. Before reaching it, she turned around. "Anna?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you," she smiled. "For being the understanding ear I need in all of this."

--

Bianca walked into ConFusion, grateful that the club atmosphere wasn't in full swing yet. Taking a seat at the bar, she watched Del approach her.

"You do know, it's still early. Heck, we haven't even opened yet," Del spoke as he reached for the cutting board and some lemons.

"Yes, I know," Bianca replied.

Sensing something was troubling the brunette, Del pushed the cutting board aside and grabbed the bar towel to wipe his hands. After placing a glass of water in front of Bianca, he eyed her with some concern. "I know it's none of my business, but you look upset. Care to share?"

"Not really."

"Oh, you can tell me."

"Del, leave her alone," Erin walked up from behind. "In fact, there's a new delivery out back, think you can help the guys carry the supplies in?"

Tossing the towel onto the empty glasses below the counter, Del heeded Erin's request and stepped away.

Erin sat down next to Bianca. "Sorry about that. These days, Del seems to think he's God's gift to women. Sadly, he still hasn't accepted the fact that he doesn't have a chance with any of us here."

"And in my case, not even in his dreams," Bianca chuckled under her breath before taking a sip of water.

"Hopeless case, huh?" Erin couldn't help but laugh and at the same time, somewhat relieved that Bianca was actually talking to her. "Before this conversation goes any further, can I just say something?"

"Sure."

"I just wanted to say, thank you for not prejudging me. Jonathan is my brother and I know with everything that's happened, it would be normal to feel hesitant around me, but…"

Bianca placed her hand over Erin's, smiling slightly, "You have a good heart like Ryan and while I despise Jonathan for everything he did, you had no part in it. And honestly, you work with my sister so you can't be all that bad."

Erin smiled. "Well, she didn't like me at first but then again, Kendall does tend to think before she speaks." Bianca gave her a confused look. "Oh, God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, no, no," Bianca shook her head, laughing. "You're right, she totally does. That's just one of her flaws. She's more guarded than I am. Though these days, maybe I should be taking some lessons from her."

"How so?" Erin tilted her head slightly, somewhat curious to learn what made the Kane sisters different.

Bianca checked her watch. "I'd love to tell you more, but I just realized the time. I was supposed to pick up Miranda twenty minutes ago." She moved off the stool and put on her coat. "Maybe we can pick up this conversation another time?"

"Sure. I'm the Manager on duty tonight, so why don't you stop by later and we can maybe have a drink or two," Erin replied, handing Bianca her purse.

Bianca nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tonight, then."

"Great, 'til tonight," Erin smiled again as she watched Bianca walk up the stairs and exit ConFusion.

--

Maggie swallowed the last bit of her dinner. After washing it down with some wine, she took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. "So, where do you want me to start?"

"How about the beginning? I've been told it's always the best way to explain things," Anna grinned, hoping to keep the mood somewhat light.

"Okay. But first, let's get these dishes washed and then we'll sit in the living room and I'll tell you whatever you want to know," Maggie replied. Pushing her chair back, she picked up her plate along with Anna's and brought it into the kitchen.

A half hour later, the two of them were seated face to face on the couch. Maggie had the familiar yellow blanket draped over her legs, her head resting comfortably against the cushions of the couch.

Beginning the tale, she sighed, recalling the events that brought about the current situation. "Things couldn't have been better between Bianca and me. Our lives were great, we were raising Miranda together and we seemed to have everything down to a routine. And then, one day, it shifted," Maggie paused, deciding to rephrase, "okay, not so much as shifted, but things sort of just changed."

"Changed? What do you mean?" Anna asked.

"Bianca started talking about settling down. You know, commitment."

"Well, that's really a huge change. It's a big step."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Maggie retorted, biting down on her lip. "And it was something I wasn't prepared for. So, me being me, I got scared but I didn't run. I took it all in stride, hoping that maybe Bianca would conveniently forget about the idea."

Anna held her gaze with Maggie, continuing to listen intently to her every word. "Well, I'm glad you didn't run. So, tell me, did the two of you manage to talk things out, possibly end up on the same page with regards to settling down?"

"No," shaking her head. "Well, yes and no."

"Explain."

Maggie hesitated for a second. "Because someone else entered into the picture and her name was Cecelia."

_-end chapter-_


	3. Chapter 3

'_Cause I don't know you anymore  
I don't recognize this place  
The picture frames have changed and so has your name  
We don't talk much anymore  
We keep running from these sentences  
But what I wouldn't give to see your face again  
_

_II know I let you down  
Again and again  
I know I never really treated you right  
I've paid the price  
I'm still paying for it everyday._

_**I Don't Know You Anymore**, Savage Garden_

Anna didn't reply for a few seconds, somewhat confused with this new detail Maggie shed light to. "Cecelia? Okay, now you've completely lost me. How does she fit into all of this?"

"I'm going to make us some tea," Maggie got up from the couch. "We're in for a really long talk."

"Okay," Anna replied, still a bit bewildered as she watched the younger woman go into the kitchen. 'Cecelia?' she mouthed the name silently. Bringing a hand to her forehead, she finally understood what Maggie meant. "Oh, dear, this really is quite the predicament," whispered the words softly as she waited for Maggie to return.

--

Bianca walked down the steps with her coat in hand. Jack met her at the bottom, having just finished some work and was now heading upstairs in preparation for bed. Smiling, Bianca got up on her toes and pressed a kiss to her uncle's cheek.

"Miranda is all tucked in and sound asleep," she said, slipping on her coat.

"Going somewhere?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Bianca half smiled. "With everything that's going on, I think I need a night to myself and possibly have a little bit of fun."

"Fun, what a concept," smiling back at her. "Well, you go and enjoy yourself. Don't worry about Miranda. She's in good hands."

"Thank you, Uncle Jack."

"Anytime."

After a short drive, Bianca entered ConFusion, the atmosphere completely different from this afternoon. Instead of an empty club, she stared out at the throngs of people, most if not all of them with drinks in their hands and soaking up the lively ambience. Walking down the steps, she found herself lost amongst the crowd, reminded this was a night to forget all worries and to have fun.

"Bianca!" yelled someone in the near distance.

The brunette turned around, recognizing the voice calling out her name. Hearing it again, she pinpointed its direction, locating Erin Lavery who was standing in a far corner of the club. Bianca began weaving her way through the crowd, face filled with delight upon reaching Erin.

"Wow," Bianca looked around ConFusion, impressed her surroundings while feeling a sense of pride that this was partly her sister's doing. Never in her life did she perceive Kendall to become such a successful entrepreneur but with the accomplishment of Fusion and now the club she was standing in, it reinforced the belief that anything was possible. "This place is amazing."

"You think so?" Erin asked as she ushered Bianca to one of the leather couches situated in the corner of the room.

Bianca nodded. "Oh yeah, definitely. It's quite a departure from Sounds of Salsa, but I guess you could say it's a step up in a way."

"Sounds of Salsa?"

"S.O.S for short," Bianca replied, recalling the club that Mateo Santos' once owned. She sat down next to Erin, removing her coat and draping it over the back of the couch.

Erin raised an eyebrow. "I think Ryan mentioned the place once or twice. Anyhow, can I get you something to drink? A martini, maybe some wine?"

"Wine sounds good."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

--

Maggie came back into the living room carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea. After setting the tray down, she slowly lifted one of the cups and handed it to Anna and then took hold of hers. She sat down on the couch, same spot as before and sipped cautiously.

They were quiet for a few moments, unsure who should speak first.

"Things were going great, just like I said before," Maggie broke the silence. It seemed fitting that she should, since this was her story to tell. "Bianca and I, we were raising Miranda, that beautiful little girl. They're both the light of my life, you know."

"I can tell." Anna replied. She couldn't help but notice the sparkle in the blonde's eyes as she spoke about Bianca and Miranda.

Maggie adjusted her position on the couch, shifting a bit so she could curl up against the cushions. "My life was a mess when we got here. I had just gotten out of an abusive relationship and practically uprooted myself from a place I called home because I couldn't bear the fact of an ocean between Bianca and me. And while it sounds selfish that I didn't want to be without my best friend, I know now that it was the best decision I ever made in my life."

"Understandable. I will say it was quite a surprise when you showed up on my doorstep."

"I know. Definitely the last person you expected, huh?"

"Yeah, but I'm glad we're in each other's lives again," Anna smiled.

"I am, too," Maggie took another sip of tea before setting her cup down on the table. She tucked some hair behind her ear, picking up where she left off. "As you know already, Bianca gave me the time I needed to heal, to get my balance back. And of course, you saw the joy on my face when she and I decided it was time to get involved, moving our close friendship into an actual relationship."

Anna laughed, recalling the day she met Maggie for lunch and how she was beaming from ear to ear. "How could I forget? You were almost ready to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower and shout the news to all of Paris."

Maggie laughed slightly, the memory etched into her mind. "I know. It was one of the happiest days of my life." Looking away, she sighed, "What I'd give to feel that way again. How could I have made such a stupid mistake?"

"I'm guessing the mistake and Bianca talking about commitment go hand in hand?"

"Yeah, they do. But there's stuff before that which kind of adds fire to everything."

"Okay," Anna set her teacup down, giving the younger woman her undivided attention.

"Over the last year, I decided to take some extra classes, so I could get ahead and have a lighter class schedule when fall semester came around. With Bianca's life being consumed with Cambias dealings and mine with class, we barely spent any time together. But when we did find time to spend together as a family, we made the most of it. No matter if I was sleep deprived, I cherished every single moment I spent with them." Maggie brought a hand to the back of her neck and took a deep breath. "With amount of time we were apart during the weekdays, Bianca and I sat down one night and talked about trusting one another. It may sound like a pre-emptive measure, but what it really did was strengthen the bond we had and most of all, our love."

"Well, I'm glad the two of you established that. Trust is a very important thing in a relationship," Anna replied.

"It really is. I was really grateful she and I had that talk because classes started getting real hectic for me and I had to spend more time in the library, lab and with my study group. It didn't make Bianca too happy, but she also knew deep down it was all for the good of my future career."

"We all have to make some sacrifices sometimes. And I'm sure you had your share of Bianca coming home late from work because of an impromptu business meeting or a dinner."

"Yeah," Maggie nodded. "But things got a bit complicated for me, because one of the girls from study group, actually my lab partner started coming on to me. I didn't notice it at first, but when I started spending more time at the lab finishing up our experiments, she would get a bit too cozy with me and sometimes, a bit too close."

"Cecelia?" Anna surmised.

"Yes, Cecelia. I brushed it off at first and told her that I was involved with someone. I got her to back off but then it started again." Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, she shook her head slightly, remembering a compromising moment. "One time, after the rest of the study group left, she hung around, claiming that she didn't quite understand one of the sections we had just studied and needed me to explain in a little more detail. So, I sat down at the computer and she was standing behind me. Next thing I knew, her arms were draped over my shoulders and I felt her breath against my neck, trying to lean down and kiss me. I managed to push her off me the minute I realized what was happening, but it also didn't help that Bianca came into the den a minute later. Luckily, she didn't catch the compromising position I was in, but she knew something happened. And that night, rather than keep it to myself, I told her."

Anna eyed the blonde with concern. "How did she react?"

"Bianca wasn't happy at first and I understood why. It was a normal reaction and had the situation been reversed, I would've probably been the same way."

"So, you both managed to get past this incident?"

"Yes."

"Why does it sound like things are about to get worse?" the older woman bit down on her lip, becoming a bit uneasy as to what Maggie was about to tell her next.

Maggie shrugged, not knowing if there was a better way to hash out the chain of events. "Because they're about to?" ruefully looking back at Anna. "I told Cecelia once again to back off and I even spoke to my professor, requesting that she not be my lab partner anymore. It meant me taking on double the amount of work, but I didn't care. I wasn't about to jeopardize my relationship with Bianca." Looking down, she heaved another deep sigh. "Unfortunately, I still had to deal with her during study group. One night, after a marathon session at the library, we all decided to stop for a drink before heading home. Bianca and Miranda were back in Pine Valley because of Kendall's accident, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to unwind a bit. I had thought Cecelia backed out because she headed home right after, but she wound up at the bar a little while later and was back to her old tricks."

"Oh that doesn't sound good." Anna's brow wrinkled.

"No, it doesn't." Shaking her head, Maggie continued. "And as we all sat around the table at the bar, everyone started talking about their relationships. Cecelia knew to stay away but couldn't help sitting directly across from me, raising an eyebrow from time to time. After a while, I started to grow uncomfortable, so I excused myself to sit at the bar and have one last drink before calling it a night. Little did I know, Cecelia took this as a chance to pounce on me, yet again, sitting down on the stool next to mine and using the excuse that she just wanted to apologize for everything that happened. I took her apology lightly, not putting much faith in it and considering how I was already tired from the day, I humored her for a little bit as I finished my drink. She started talking about relationships and asked if I'd ever been with another woman besides Bianca. I told her no and that Bianca was the only one and we loved each other very much. That was when she started mentioning her own personal experiences and how she felt the need to explore. I guess this was her way of making me doubt myself."

Anna didn't reply, unsure if it was even the right moment to, let alone she could also tell that Maggie was nowhere near done confiding the whole story. She simply sat quietly, raking her fingers through her hair, listening intently to every word that was being spoken. Regardless of their non-familial tie, Anna couldn't help but feel a maternal bond with Maggie, wanting to be there for her like any caring mother would.

"She was relentless, trying to shake my own faith and I was really getting tired of it. Finally, I grabbed my bag and moved off the stool. Before I could take one step, she pulled me into her arms and pressed her lips against mine," Maggie shuddered, the moment suddenly fresh in her mind. "Like the incident in the den, I pushed her away and once again told her to back off. Just as I was about to leave, she grabbed hand one last time and stared into my eyes, telling me to think about what she said, how it didn't hurt to explore. I was too pissed off to reply that I simply walked away. I'd be a liar if I didn't say what happened at the bar shook me up a bit, because it did, but I reminded myself of how much I loved Bianca that I tried not to let it bother me."

"Did you tell her about what happened?" Anna asked.

"No, I didn't. This time, I kept it to myself," Maggie replied, shaking her head. "With all the stress she had with Kendall and then coming home to a pile of work waiting for her in the office, I didn't want to add any more. By that time, Cecelia had gone away for the summer, so there was no reason to shake our already stable relationship."

"But you were also keeping a secret from the person you love," raising an eyebrow at the younger woman. "You know how things always turn out when you're keeping something like this from someone you love. The guilt begins to manifest inside you to a point where it starts casting a shadow on every decision the two of you make."

"I know and that's exactly what started happening," Maggie's gaze fell. She pulled her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around them. "I tried to go on with life as usual and put the incident in the back of my mind. At first, I was able to deal with it, not let it bother me because I loved Bianca," she reasoned, resting her chin on top of her knees. "But after a while, Cecelia's words started looming in the back of my mind again and it didn't help how Bianca was stuck at the office more so than usual, because of some huge merger. Yet, somehow she managed to reinforce the love in our relationship by surprising me with a trip to Venice, so we'd have some time together as a family, just like how it was on our first trip there."

"And did it do that? Strengthen your love for one another?" When Maggie didn't reply, she reached over and placed a consoling hand on her leg. "It's okay, you can tell me."

"I want to say it did, because at first, it seemed that way, Bianca and I made the best of every moment and those doubts in my head drifted away. Then on our last night there, we were sitting on the deck of our villa and that's when Bianca mentioned the idea of settling. It sent this shockwave through me and I sort of just freaked out, in a calm way but the whole talk of commitment shook me up."

"Well, I said before, it is a huge step."

"Yeah and that's when those doubts came bubbling to the surface. We stayed up all night talking things out and it seemed like we ended on the same page regarding the subject, but in reality, I knew we weren't." Maggie looked up remorsefully. "During that discussion, I almost blurted out the incident at the bar, but I caught myself. Thinking back, I should have told her because it inevitably helped put the gears in motion for what happened next. After we got back from Venice, things were definitely not the same, if anything we became a bit distant with one another. She threw herself into work and I was once again consumed with classes and lab work. Not to mention, Cecelia was back, but she knew not to go anywhere near me."

"I'm glad she knew to keep her distance from you. Having her mess around again is the last thing you needed, given your situation with Bianca," Anna remarked, now curious to hear if Bianca and Maggie had come to a resolution regarding talks of commitment. "So, tell me, were you able to maybe smoothen things a bit? Perhaps put Bianca at ease as to why you reacted the way you did?"

"I tried to. I even rearranged my class schedule a bit so I could be home earlier and spend more time with them. After a little while, it seemed like things were back to normal. Business matters at Cambias finally slowed down and Bianca was home at a decent hour as opposed to the many late nights she'd drag herself into bed," Maggie yawned, surprised at the sudden onset of exhaustion. Ignoring the feeling, she rubbed her eyes and went on. "For a little while, our lives reverted back to our daily routines and it felt as though nothing had happened. I assumed Bianca had forgotten about the idea and maybe realized that it was too soon for us to consider taking a huge step."

"And?"

"And… I thought wrong."

"Oh dear."

"Yeah, I told you it gets worse," Maggie muttered sorrowfully.

"Well, I'm still listening. I'm not going anywhere," Anna reassured her.

Bringing a hand to the back of her neck again, Maggie swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing that she was getting to the most hurtful part, the betrayal. "We were sitting down right here on this couch one night. It was around the beginning of October and we had just put Miranda to bed. There wasn't much to watch on television, so we simply sat here and listened to some music. And that's when she casually brought up the subject again." She closed her eyes, momentarily brought back to that point in time and the heated discussion that ensued thereafter. "I got all defensive again and this time, it wasn't like before. It was almost as if my fear was talking and I guess it didn't help how I was still hiding the fact that Cecelia had kissed me."

"_Not this again," Maggie moved out of Bianca's arms, turning to the brunette with a steadfast gaze. "I thought we talked about this already."_

"_Yes, we did. And well, some time has passed since our last discussion, I was hoping you'd be a little more open to the idea," Bianca raised an eyebrow, completely taken aback by Maggie's defensiveness. She paused for a second, looking deep into the blonde's dark brown eyes, sensing there was something she wasn't telling her. "Maggie, I don't understand. Why are you being like this? We love each other, I just thought since it's pretty much established that maybe we'd take this next step."_

"_Well, I kinda wish you'd talk to me about it first."_

"_I am! It's what I'm doing right now but you're being so goddamn pig-headed about it!"_

_Maggie stood up, her back facing Bianca as she spoke. "I'm sorry."_

"_What's wrong, Mags" Bianca's tone softened a bit as she moved toward her girlfriend. She attempted to wrap her arms around her but was surprised when the embrace was met with resistance. "Maggie, what's got you so scared? Talk to me."_

"_I don't know… it just… it feels like you're pushing me into something I don't think I'm even ready for," Maggie replied. She didn't turn around for fear Bianca would catch the troubled look in her eyes, one that made it obvious she was keeping something from her. "I… you're the only woman I've ever been with and…"_

_Bianca stepped back, brow creasing with confusion. "What are you trying to say, Maggie? Are you doubting us, our love?"_

"_No."_

"_Then tell me what's going on. Because it sure sounds like you are."_

_Maggie finally turned around, a glimmer of fear in her eyes as she locked gazes with Bianca. "I am not doubting our love. It's the one thing that keeps me sane throughout all the craziness I deal with because of classes," she bit down on her bottom lip, trying to push the seeds of her own insecurity away. "It just… why are you in such a hurry to make things official? We're happy with the way things are, why the need to settle down?"_

_Bianca moved closer, cupping Maggie's face with her hands. "Because I love you and I don't ever want to lose you."_

"_Oh, so you're doing this so you can have some sort of leash on me?"_

"_No, it's not like that!"_

"_Okay, then tell me, what's the real reason you're so gung-ho about commitment." The blonde pulled away. "God, it wasn't that long ago that I almost married some abusing murderer. Didn't you take into account after everything I've been through that maybe I'm not in a hurry to settle?" Maggie caught the look on her girlfriend's face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. But you have to understand, where I'm at right now, a commitment is not in the forefront of my mind. Yes, you and Miranda are priorities on my list, but…"_

_Bianca sat on the couch, pulling Maggie down with her. "Look, I know it's a big step and it scares the heck out of me, too. But we'd be doing this together. I've wanted, for the longest time to give Miranda a stable family life…"_

"_What, the life we've got right now isn't enough?"_

"_It is. Miranda adores you."_

"_Then stop pressuring me into making this kind of decision!"_

"_Maggie, that's not what I'm doing! You're the one who keeps going on and on about feeling pressured," the brunette countered, feeling the need to raise her voice in order to match the intensity of Maggie's. "You know what, forget that I brought up the subject because obviously this is something we're never going to agree on and who knows if **you** ever will." Suddenly, Bianca went silent, realizing the words that just spilled out of her mouth while watching Maggie get up from the couch. Before she could reach out and stop her from going anywhere, it was already too late. "Maggie, wait."_

"_Wait, what?" Maggie bitterly replied. She didn't have the heart to look at Bianca, her own guilt having manifested inside of her combined with the hurt of her girlfriend's words. The last thing she wanted to do was say something she would regret, just as Bianca had done already._

"_Where are you going?"_

"_Somewhere. Anywhere but here because right now, I need to walk away from this discussion before I say something I won't be able to take back."_

"And I stormed out, right after," Maggie's voice cracked, tears stinging her eyes. "I was so angry and I had no idea why. Maybe I was just mad at myself for letting my own fear get in the way."

"Or you let the guilt of not telling Bianca about the kiss control your emotions," Anna reasoned.

Maggie's gaze fell once more, quickly swiping the tears away with the back of her hand. "I should have stayed. Had I, then it wouldn't have propelled me to head to the bar and make the worst mistake of my life." Facing forward, she started straight ahead, recounting the events that followed after. "I remember arriving at the bar and sitting down. At first, I didn't really have anything to drink, it was really more of me just wanting some time to myself. Then I heard the familiar voice next to me, plopping down on the stool wearing that same seductive smile."

"_Well, look what the cat dragged in."_

_Maggie didn't reply. Looking the other way, she flagged down the bartender and ordered a martini. While waiting for her drink, she avoided eye contact with the other woman, making every attempt to ignore her. _

"_Hmm, something's troubling you," Cecelia surmised as she set her drink down and moved closer to the blonde. Again, Maggie didn't respond, simply sipping at her drink. "Trouble in paradise, I take it?"_

"_I'm really not in the mood to talk about it, Cecelia," Maggie finally spoke, swallowing the last bit of alcohol. She signaled the bartender for another before finally turning toward Cecelia. "I'm not in the mood for anything, in fact. All I want to do is forget."_

"_Forget what?"_

_Maggie broke eye contact and faced forward. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it."_

_Cecelia chuckled under her breath. "She pushed you into a commitment, didn't she? I knew this would happen. What did I tell you months ago?"_

"_Look, no offense, but you're the last person I want to share this information with. So if you don't mind, I'm going to just wallow in my sorrows and try to forget this night ever happened," Maggie reached for her drink and took a quick sip._

_Sensing the vulnerability in the blonde, Cecelia knew this was a perfect opportunity but decided not to make any moves, given what had happened in the past. Instead, she figured it was best to humor Maggie in her own way, knowing sooner or later she'd give in to temptation. _

_And that's exactly what happened, for one hour later, Maggie found herself being led out of the bar and toward Cecelia's car. Not long after, Maggie was standing inside of Cecelia's apartment, pressed up against the wall engaging in a fervent kiss._

"_I can help you forget, you know. Show you what it feels like to explore." Cecelia whispered. Her lips brushed across Maggie's as she reached up to push aside some stray wisps of blonde hair._

"_I can't… I…" Maggie hesitated. _

"_Oh come on, you know you want to," the taller woman urged seductively, taking Maggie by the hand and leading her toward the bedroom. Once inside, she kissed her again knowing Maggie was already in an alcohol induced haze. "Just forget about everything else."_

"_I…" _

"_Shhh…"_

"I slept with her, Anna." Maggie flinched at the memory. She felt a pain her stomach, almost identical to the same one she felt the morning after. "And when I realized what I'd done, I felt so sick."

"_Oh God, what have I done." Maggie whispered softly, sitting at the edge of the bed. She turned around and winced, finding a naked Cecelia still sound asleep. The room was somewhat dark, the sun having barely risen. She buried her face in her hands, immediate regret coursing through her._

_Suddenly, she felt an onset of pain in her stomach, causing a rush to the bathroom. Once inside, she shut the door and kneeled over the toilet, vomiting the contents of whatever was left in her stomach from the night before._

_A few minutes later, Maggie was seated against the bathroom wall, hunched forward with her face buried and her arms wrapped around her knees. It took almost an hour for her to gather her bearings and when she attempted to get up the first time, tears streamed down her face, causing her to collapse against the wall, the pain and regret feeling like salt on an open wound._

_Finally able to stand up, Maggie quietly walked out of the bathroom and carefully picked up her clothes from the floor. Without so much as a sound, she got dressed and tiptoed out the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind her. Quaking with feelings she no longer could describe, she searched for the door and left Cecelia's apartment with an intense need to get home._

"I kept telling myself that I needed to get home and I swear, I never ran so fast in my whole life. Maybe it was adrenaline, I don't know," Maggie paused, running a hand through her hair as she tried to find the words to describe her feelings. "One thing I did know was that I wasn't going to keep this from Bianca. No more secrets or lies, I had to come clean."

Anna reached for Maggie's hand. "I'm glad you made the decision to tell her."

"Yeah, easy for you to say, because now, I'm dealing with the consequences of my actions and honest to God, Anna, it hurts," Maggie choked back tears, her somewhat strong facade now completely shattered.

"_How long, Maggie? How long has this been going on?" Bianca said angrily, looking at her girlfriend with a piercing glare. It took every ounce of her self control not to yell as she stood there waiting for an answer. "Is this why you're so hesitant towards commitment? Because you've been messing around with someone else behind my back? Answer me, Maggie! How long!?!"_

_Maggie's eyes shifted from left to right, gulping the lump in her throat as she stood privy to Bianca's scrutinizing gaze. "It only happened once. I…"_

"_When?"_

"_Last night."_

_Shock filled Bianca's face, the brunette slowly sitting down on the edge of the bed as tears fell from her eyes. "You left here last night and fell into another woman's bed?" her voice now a pained whisper. "Why, Maggie? How… how could you do this?"_

"_Bianca, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen… I.." Maggie knelt down in front her girlfriend. Reaching up, she tried to wipe the tears, but was met with unexpected resistance._

"_Don't… touch me."_

"_Bianca."_

"_No! Just, please… don't" Bianca stood up, knocking Maggie off balance in the process. "I need to be alone right now," she said despondently, walking out of the bedroom._

_Getting up off the floor, Maggie followed Bianca to the foyer. "Bianca, where are you going?"_

"_For a walk," turning around, her pain filled gaze meeting Maggie's remorseful one. "Claire should be back with Miranda in a little bit. If I were you, I'd spend some time with her because when I get back, we're going to talk about where you and I stand in this relationship." _

"_Bianca…" Maggie called out one last time, but she realized the damage had already been done as she watched the door close. Leaning against the oak barrier, she sank down to the floor and broke down in tears. The only good thing she had in her life, now ruined and it was all her fault._

"We talked later on and that's when she said that maybe the two of us needed some time apart to figure out what we both wanted in our lives," Maggie wiped away the tear that streamed down her cheek. "She told me to work out my feelings on my own time and that if I ever wanted to come back to her, she'd be in Pine Valley waiting for me," unsuccessfully trying to choked back her emotions. "And when I woke up the next morning, Bianca and Miranda were gone."

Anna moved closer on the couch and pulled Maggie into her arms. Enveloping her in a warm hug, she brushed the back of Maggie's head with her fingers, holding her firmly in the embrace. She didn't need to say anything, as the physical comfort was all that was needed right now, giving Maggie this chance to release her emotions, something she could tell was being held back through the whole conversation.

After a few moments, they pulled away, Maggie still wrecked physically and emotionally. Anna gave the blonde a comforting smile, reaching a hand to cup her cheek. Maggie placed her own hand on top of Anna's, stray tears still falling from her swollen eyes.

"What do I do, now?" she whispered, lost in a haze of confusion and regret.

"Get you one way ticket to Pine Valley."

"One way?"

Anna grabbed her purse, pulling out her cell phone and flipping it open. "Yes, because when it comes time for you to return to Paris, it'll be on that Cambias jet with Bianca and Miranda, together once again."

_-end chapter-_


	4. Chapter 4

_It's sad, so sad  
It's a sad, sad situation  
And it's getting more and more absurd  
It's sad, so sad  
Why can't we talk it over  
Oh it seems to me  
That sorry seems to be the hardest word  
**-Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word**, Elton John_

Anna closed her phone and turned to Maggie. "Okay, you're all set. You leave for Pine Valley the day after next."

"Wait… what?" Maggie blinked. She was amazed at how fast Anna was able to find a ticket to the States, considering it was the holiday season.

"You're going to Pine Valley."

"Yes, I heard that. But how the heck am I going to afford this ticket? I don't even have a place to stay."

"Don't you worry about that. I've got it all taken care of. You'll be staying at The Valley Inn," Anna smiled.

Maggie's heart swelled with warmth. Anna Devane was definitely one of her biggest champions and she was grateful for it. "I'm going to pay you back somehow. If it takes years, I will." Suddenly quiet, an unsure look appeared on her face. "What if Bianca doesn't forgive me?"

Anna moved closer, placing both hands on Maggie's shoulders. "You are going to Pine Valley to fight for the woman you love. I have faith that she'll forgive you. It won't be easy at first, but as long as you fight for your love, things will work out they way they're supposed to."

"You think so?"

"Sweetie, I don't think. I know."

Maggie yawned while glancing at the clock and realizing they had been up all night talking. "It's late, or actually, early."

"Yeah. Why don't you go to the bedroom and get some sleep. I'm going to stay out here and finish whatever cleaning you were doing before I came," Anna stood, taking their empty teacups and placing them on the tray. "When you wake up later, I'll help you start packing."

Maggie moved off the couch, stretching her arms above her head. "Thank you, for everything."

"No need to thank me. I'm just a firm believer in true love," flashing a hopeful grin.

--

People continued to walk in and out of ConFusion as the night progressed. Some stopped in for a quick drink, others searching for a good time with friends as a way of letting loose. In one corner sat Jamie Martin and Julia Santos, their on again – off again – on again situation in their relationship finally put to rest as they cuddled against on another, all smiles and with drinks in hand.

Behind the bar stood Del Henry, always on the prowl, looking to find the next woman whose affections he'd try and win over. Every so often, Amanda waved a hand in front of his face, reminding him that he was there to work, not pick up women.

In a far corner of the club, Erin and Bianca were seated on the leather couch, engaging in lively conversation. Although it felt a little awkward at first for Bianca to be enjoying a night out, she soon felt comfortable in the club atmosphere, a welcomed distraction to everything going on in her life.

"Ryan told me you've been living in Paris for the past year and a half," Erin said, making casual small talk as she sipped her drink. "What's it like?"

"Living in Paris? It's definitely a departure from life in Pine Valley, that's for sure," Bianca answered, not putting much thought to her reply. It seemed almost automatic, considering how her life in Paris was without complications, up until now. "I do have my moments when I miss everyone that's here."

"So, what brought you back to town?"

"Besides me getting to know my Josh and reacquainted with Sean?" Bianca looked down at her wine glass for a second before answering. "I needed some time to myself and I thought it would be nice if Miranda spent some time with my mother and sister."

Erin sipped the last of her martini and set the glass down on the table. "Ryan also mentioned that Maggie had moved to Paris with you, how's that going?"

Bianca tried not to wince at the mention of Maggie, let alone Erin asking how things were. Before she could answer, someone else spoke, the voice coming from behind her. Turning around, she looked up and saw her older sister, standing arm in arm with Zach Slater.

"Wow Binks, who would have pegged you for the night life kind of person," Kendall chuckled.

"Hi Kendall," Bianca spoke, nervously pushing back some hair behind her ear. "Erin asked me to join her for drinks, so I thought I'd take her up on the offer."

Kendall smirked. "Oh yeah, nothing like drinking your sorrows away. After this afternoon, I guess I can understand why you would be here."

"Hey sis, here's a suggestion. Butt out." Bianca sneered. Standing up, she took hold of her wine glass and pushed passed the curly haired woman. Heading back towards the bar, she handed her glass to the bartender.

While standing there, she couldn't help but look around. As her eyes scanned the room, her gaze fell upon a blonde haired woman seated in the distance. Her heart raced for a moment, thinking it was Maggie but upon blinking, she realized it wasn't. Maggie wasn't there and instead of hoping that maybe her girlfriend had come to her senses and rushed back to Pine Valley, Bianca felt the pain in her heart all over again, thinking back to the night Maggie admitted to sleeping with someone else.

Kendall joined her sister at the bar, nodding to the bartender to bring over her regular. "Bianca, look," quickly noticing her downcast gaze. "Binks, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Bianca shook her head. She tried to hide the hurt on her face, but knew Kendall could see right through it. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she pushed past her sister again and went back to the corner to grab her coat and purse. After thanking Erin for a good time, she made her way through the crowd and out of ConFusion. Rushing to her car, she got inside, and leaned against the steering wheel with tears in her eyes.

Kendall palmed her husband's cheek, leaning in to meet his lips for a sweet kiss. Pulling away, she brushed her fingers against the stubble on his face, all the while unable to shake her concern for Bianca.

"You look distracted," Zach tilted his head, eyebrow raised as he gazed at his wife.

"It's Bianca. I know she's been nursing a broken heart, but tonight, something just seemed off about her and…"

"And you want to go talk to her," finishing his wife's statement. Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her soft skin. "Go and find her, she may need your shoulder to cry on."

Kendall lovingly smiled at Zach. "Are you sure? I mean it's our first night out in a while and I hate to cut it short."

"Go on, I'll head back to the house and spend some time with Spike. We'll talk about hockey and the Red Wings' chances of winning the Stanley Cup this year. Okay, so maybe I'll do most of the talking, but you get the idea," Zach reached for Kendall's coat and helped her slip it on. Snaking his arm around her waist, they weaved their way through the crowd and walked back to the car.

Bianca entered the dimly lit living room, carrying a warm cup of tea in her hands. Headed toward the couch with the intention of looking over some reports before going to bed, she was forced to make a slight detour when there was a knock at the front door. After peeking through the curtain to see who was there, she opened it.

"Kendall, I'm really not in the mood," she sighed.

"Binks, I'm sorry for the way I acted at ConFusion. In fact, I'm sorry for calling Maggie. I overstepped my boundaries," Kendall apologized, shivering slightly at the burst of cold air from behind.

Not wanting her sister to leave her sister outside in the cold, Bianca moved aside and let the curly haired woman into the house. "Come on, I'll make you a cup of tea."

Bianca and Kendall sat on the couch in Jack and Erica's dimly lit living room, its only source of light coming from the roaring fire in the fireplace and a lamp situated in a far corner. Sipping their drink of comfort, Bianca would periodically stare at her cup then towards the fire while Kendall observed her, hoping a heart to heart would give her baby sister some sort of solace.

"Binks, what happened back there at ConFusion? Kendall asked.

"I told you, it's nothing," Bianca replied.

"This is about Maggie, isn't it?"

Not bothering to look up, the younger woman nodded.

Kendall set her cup down on the table and slid across the couch. Reaching out with her hand, she pushed Bianca's chin up. "I want to help you, but before I can do that, you need to talk to me. I'm here for your Bianca and if I have to stay here all night, I will."

"Is it too much for me to ask, when I say I want a life without complications?" Bianca finally spoke.

"It's not, but then again, if life weren't so complicated, it'd be too damn boring," Kendall remarked, doing her best to keep the mood light but knew deep down it would become serious. "You thought Paris would provide that for you, huh? Move away from Pine Valley, raise your daughter out of the media spotlight, and find love in the process."

"Yeah," nodding dejectedly. "And I did. I found love with Maggie. God, Kendall, the night she told me she was ready for something more than being best friends, my heart felt like it wanted to burst. And I'm guessing Maggie felt the same way, too."

"I can imagine."

"I… We waited so long, we felt like we were going to explode."

"I'll bet."

"And now… Now it's…"

Kendall took hold of Bianca's hands. "Why don't you start from the beginning, tell me what brought you and Maggie to this point."

Bianca sighed deeply, pulling her hands away so she could swipe some hair from her face. "Our lives were filled with so much happiness. Maggie, Miranda and I, we were a family in every sense of the word. Sure, her life was busy with classes and mine with Cambias matters but we always managed to find a way at the end of the day to be together, if only for a little bit of time," she smiled, thinking back to better days. "Any issues that came up, disagreements or whatever, we dealt with them together. Trust was never a problem between us, we established that bond way before anything ever happened."

"I'm glad you did, because Lord knows the kind of trust issues I've had," Kendall laughed slightly, admitting her own fatal flaw.

"You got past it, though. Look how happy you are with Zach."

"I know. But let's focus on you, after all, this is your story to tell."

"Maggie decided to load up on classes last year over this past year. Her reason being, how she wanted to lighten her load when the fall semester came around so she'd be able to spend more time at home with Miranda and me. And I was okay with that," Bianca explained.

"Sometimes, sacrifices need to be made in relationships and it sounds like Maggie knew what she was doing," Kendall replied, then noticing a change in the brunette's demeanor.

"What I wasn't okay with was Maggie's lab partner," she added.

"Cecelia."

"Yeah."

Bianca choked back her emotions, uncomfortable at the mention of Cecelia, let alone having to talk about her. But she knew in order for everything to make sense, she had to. "Cecelia wanted Maggie. Badly. At first, it wasn't that obvious, so I didn't think much of it. Plus, Maggie was finally becoming a little more comfortable with who she was. But then, I began noticing the way she looked at her."

"Maggie?" Kendall asked.

"The way Cecelia looked at Maggie," Bianca corrected. "On weekends when Maggie had to put some extra time in the lab, I would come by with Miranda and we'd have lunch together. And of course, since Cecelia was Maggie's lab partner, she was there, too," rolling her eyes, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "There were times when we were eating that I'd glance across the room and catch her eyeing Maggie. And then she'd give me this piercing look, I don't even know how to describe it."

"Sort of like how Mom looked at Jack during the Thanksgiving fiasco?"

"Yeah, something like that. Almost as if she was telling me to watch out."

Kendall chuckled under her breath. "Who knew French people could have so much attitude?"

"She's from New York."

"Figures. New Yorkers have attitude, too."

Bianca brought a hand to her forehead. "Kendall, so not the point."

"Sorry, sorry," apologized the older woman. "As you were saying."

"I tried not to let it get to me, since I trusted Maggie. But it didn't help how Cecelia would try and get close to Maggie during study group. In fact, there was one time I came into the den after the group left and if I wasn't mistaken, I thought I had walked in on a very compromising moment. Turns out I was right because Maggie talked to me about later on that night," Bianca continued to explain, once again pushing some hair back behind her ear. "She told me how Cecelia tried to kiss her."

"I knew it, she's a slut," Kendall retorted.

Ignoring her sister's latest remark, Bianca pressed on. "Maggie decided enough was enough and asked her professor if she could switch lab partners or possibly work alone. She ended up having to work alone, but knew it was for the best. The only thing I hated was the fact that her workload practically doubled, but Maggie seemed to juggle it all well," she shrugged at her own assumption of everything. "That's why she wasn't able to tag along for my last visit; she was overloaded with papers and lab reports. And when I got back, I could tell she needed a vacation, but stuff at Cambias had piled up, which meant I was now the one buried in work. Needless to say, it was a tough summer for the two of us."

"You weren't the only ones. We had the Greg Madden fiasco happening here," the curly haired woman shuddered.

"Well, to make up for all the lost time from the summer, I surprised Maggie with a trip to Venice. It was wonderful." A sad smile appeared on Bianca's face, sighing as she remembered how the beautiful trip suddenly went sour. "One of the reasons why I surprised Maggie with this trip was so I could talk to her about settling down. It had been on my mind for most of the summer and since the two of us were finally on equal footing, I figured it was time to take the next step in our relationship. I thought wrong."

Kendall bit down on her bottom lip, forehead creasing with concern. "Oh no, Binks. I'm guessing you caught her by surprise when the subject was brought up."

"Yeah," whispering her reply. "She kind of freaked out, but we talked things through. It meant us staying up all night, but in the end, there was some sort of resolution. I guess." Bianca shifted positions on the couch, bringing her legs closer to her body. "When we got back from Venice, Maggie seemed a bit distant. It was only natural and it's how she is. I decided not to push the subject, resolving myself to wait a bit before bringing it up again."

"Logical choice."

"It was a sensible one, because it let the two of us have some space and let the idea sit in the back of our minds. Or at least, mine."

"So, I'm guessing that after a little bit of time passed, you asked her again?" Kendall surmised.

Bianca nodded. "I did. And the second time around, it wasn't pretty. Things got downright harsh."

_Bianca sat back on the couch, pulling Maggie into her arms as they listened to the music filling the room. Cuddling with the blonde, she pushed some hair aside with her hand and pressed a kiss to her nape. "Mmm… you smell good," whispering into her ear._

"_It's my shampoo," Maggie turned her head, her lips meeting Bianca's. _

"_Maggie?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_I know we talked about this in Venice and we agreed to let things sit for a bit," Bianca spoke as she held Maggie close, "But I was wondering, with Christmas coming up soon that maybe we could make things official? Only if it's okay with you, I mean."_

_Maggie groaned. Moving out of Bianca's arms, she turned around and frowned. "Not again. I thought we talked about this already?"_

_Bianca sat up, confused the blonde's defensiveness toward the subject. "Yes, I know we did. And well, some time has passed since that discussion. So, I was hoping you'd be more open to it this time around." She took a closer look into Maggie's eyes, "I don't understand why you're being like this. We love each other, I thought since that's pretty much established, maybe we could take this next step."_

"_It's a huge one."_

"_Yes, it is."_

"_Well, I kinda wish you had talked to me about it first."_

"_Maggie, I am! It's what I'm doing right now, but you're being so goddamn pig-headed about it!" Bianca huffed. She tried to remain calm, but the more Maggie fought the idea, the harder it was to do so. _

_Maggie stood up and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."_

_Getting up from the couch, Bianca went to Maggie and tried to wrap her arms around her but was met with resistance. "Mags, what's wrong? What's got you so scared?"_

"_I don't know… it just… it feels like you're pushing me into something I don't think I'm ready for," Maggie closed her eyes, bowing her head. "You're the only woman I've ever been with and…"_

"_What are you trying to say, Maggie?" Bianca took one step back, confused at her girlfriend's response. "Are you doubting us, our love?"_

"_No, it's not like that."_

"_Then tell me what's going on. Because, it sure sounds like you are." She watched Maggie turn around, gazes meeting one another. "Just tell me."_

"_I am not doubting our love. It's the one thing that has kept me sane throughout all the craziness I deal with at school," Maggie shook her head, an unsure look appearing on her face. "It's just… why are you in such a hurry to make things official? We're happy with the way things are, why the need to settle?"_

_Bianca moved closer, cupping Maggie's face with her hands before leaning forward to kiss her. She rested her forehead against Maggie's. "Because I love you and I don't ever want to lose you."_

_Maggie's head jerked back, pulling away from Bianca's embrace. "Oh, so you're doing this so you can have some sort of leash on me?"_

"_No, it's not like that!"_

"_Okay, then tell me, Bianca. What's the real reason you're so set on commitment," Maggie's breath escaped through her nose, her tone somewhat annoyed. "God, it wasn't that long ago that I almost married an abusing murderer. Didn't you take into account after everything I've been through that maybe I'm not in a hurry to settle down?" catching the look on her girlfriend's face, she realized what she had just said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. But you've got to understand, where I'm at in my life right now, a commitment ceremony isn't the only thing I think about. Yes, you and Miranda are priorities on my list, but…"_

_Bianca sat down on the couch, pulling Maggie down with her, "Look, I know it's a big step and it scares the heck out of me, too. But we'd be doing this together. I've wanted this for the longest time, for us to give Miranda a stable family life."_

"_What, the life we've got right now isn't enough?"_

"_It is. Miranda adores you."_

"_Then stop pressuring me into making this kind of decision!"_

"_Maggie, that's not what I'm doing! You're the one who keeps going on and on about feeling pressured," her voice raised slightly to counter Maggie's. Realizing that this conversation was the equivalent to beating a dead horse, she sat back and pressed a hand to her forehead. "You know what, forget that I brought up the subject. Forget it, because it's really obvious this is something we're never going to agree on and who knows if **you** ever will!" she covered her mouth, suddenly regretting the words that had spilled out. It was only then that she saw Maggie get up and immediately, she reached out to stop her. "Maggie, wait."_

"_Wait, what?" came Maggie's sharp reply. She simply stood at the doorway with her back to Bianca, not wanting to turn around due to her own guilt and the hurt she felt from the brunette's words. _

"_Where are you going?" Bianca choked back a sob. _

"_Somewhere. Anywhere but here, because I need to walk away from this before I say something I know I'll regret and won't be able to take back," Maggie reached for her coat and slipped her arms through the sleeves. "Don't wait up for me, because I don't know what time I'll be back."_

"_Maggie… Maggie don't," Bianca rushed off the couch and ran to the doorway. Unfortunately, she was too late as she watched the door shut behind the blonde. Walking back to the couch, Bianca collapsed down against it, face buried in her hands, wishing she'd never brought up the subject in the first place._

Bianca stood by the window, staring at the snow covered ground outside. She brought her hand to the window and traced her finger along the glass surface. "Was I wrong, Kendall? Did I make the wrong choice in bringing the subject matter to light?"

The curly haired woman turned around, watching her younger sister from her vantage point on the couch. For a moment, she didn't answer, letting silence envelop the room, its only sounds coming from the fireplace. "No, it wasn't a bad choice," was her comforting response. "I can understand why you'd want a stable family life for Miranda. I want the same thing for Spike, but it's not easy. Look at the set-up I have," Kendall explained. "Spike can't tell the difference right now, but in a few years, I know I'll be fielding questions from him."

"So then why does it feel like I did?" Bianca asked. She walked back toward the couch, picking up a frame from the table. Staring at the photo of her and Miranda, she smiled sadly. "You know, if I were given the chance to turn back time, I would."

"Binks, there was nothing wrong with you asking Maggie about settling down."

"You weren't there Kendall. You didn't see or hear the argument we had," Bianca sat back down, frustrated at herself. She brought a hand to her face, shaking her head. "It was bad. It was really ugly. I caused her to walk out on me and into that other woman's arms."

"No," Kendall said firmly. Self blame was the last thing she was going to let Bianca do, not now and not ever. "No. Bianca, you listen to me," taking the brunette's hands, looking deep into her brown eyes. "You are not to blame for any of this. It's not your fault Maggie cheated on you. She made that choice."

Bianca pulled her hands away, closing her eyes as she tried to hold back her tears. One managed to escape, streaming down her cheek as she tried to keep her composure. "I just don't know anymore, Kendall. Somewhere along the way, something happened and for the life of me, I can't figure out what it is or why," turning her head to Kendall. "It keeps going over and over in my mind. What did I say? What didn't I say? What didn't I do? Why did she need somebody else?"

"I wish I could tell you," Kendall whispered, leading to an awkward silence. Wanting to know what happened after Maggie had walked out on Bianca, she felt a bit of trepidation before asking. "Bianca? How did you find out?"

"Maggie told me. But it was after I confronted her about it."

_Bianca reached for her napkin and wiped the corner of her mouth. "No, it's a perfect solution, Martine. I think it'll work well with the proposal you had me look over earlier this week. And if it all works out, I think we can roll out your idea to the American market, too."_

"_You think so?" Martine smiled. To have such approval from the boss was something she was proud of. "When I get back to the office, I'll polish things up a bit more, and then send it to you for final approval."_

"_Sounds like a plan."_

_A high-pitched ring interrupted their business talk, Martine reaching for her cell phone. "It's the office, I'll have to take this."_

"_Go right ahead," Bianca urged, watching Martine step away. Ignoring the chatter going on around her, she closed her eyes and inhaled the mild autumn air. It was certainly one of those days where relaxation was a must, setting aside any and all worries. Sadly, one worry entered into her mind, wondering if Maggie had come home yet. After the horrible discussion they had the night before, she couldn't help but wonder where her girlfriend had gone. _

_Bianca shook her head, resolved not to get lost in her own thoughts. She needed to think positive, keep her hopes strong that this was only a bump in her relationship with Maggie. "Oh, Maggie, I hope we can work this out," whispering under her breath. Gazing into the near distance, she noticed someone familiar walking towards her table. A sudden uneasiness washed over her._

"_Bianca." _

"_Cecelia," Bianca curtly replied._

_With a cunning smirk on her face, she placed a red rose with a note attached on the table. "Do me a favor, give this to your girlfriend for me," winking once before walking away._

_Suddenly confused, Bianca watched Cecelia leave before looking down at the rose. Immediately reaching for it, she unfolded the note that was attached, completely unprepared for what she was about to discover._

_**Maggie – **_

_**Last night was wonderful. Please call me.**_

_**-Cecelia**_

_Tears burned in Bianca's eyes as she read the words over and over. "This can't be right. No," she mumbled, trying to keep the anger bubbling inside her at bay. Placing the rose back on the table, she tried not to let the pieces fall into place, reminding herself repeatedly that Maggie would never hurt her in this way. _

_Martine returned to the table, finding the brunette looking a bit bewildered. "Bianca? Is everything okay?"_

"_Yes, everything is fine," Bianca replied. Grabbing her purse and the rose Cecelia had left, she stood up, "I hate to cut this lunch short, but I just got a call from Miranda's day care and they need me to pick her up."_

"_Okay, well, I'll draw up my second draft and leave it with your secretary."_

"_Sounds great," the brunette replied, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. After leaving some Euro on the table, she walked out of the café and towards the car. _

"_Back to the office?" Patrick asked._

"_No, I'm uh, done for the day, you can take me home, thank you," Bianca requested. Before stepping into the car, she glanced up at Patrick. "And if it's possible, I'd like it if you got me there as soon as possible."_

"_Not a problem," Patrick obliged, closing the passenger door._

_Bianca arrived home fifteen minutes later. Breezing past the doorman and not bothering to return his greeting, she walked into the first open elevator, pressing the button for the penthouse. The elevator quickly took its trip up, Bianca stepping off, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes once again. _

_Before unlocking the door, Bianca took a deep breath then turned the doorknob. She calmly went inside, looking for any signs of her girlfriend. Walking further down the entryway, she stood at the bottom of the staircase. "Maggie?" calling out, only to hear the sounds of running water coming from their bedroom. Climbing the staircase, she headed toward the bedroom, hoping beyond hope that Maggie would prove her suspicions wrong. But with every step she took, her doubts returned, hurt and anger seeping back to the surface._

_No longer able to keep those feelings hidden, Bianca stormed into the bedroom and was correct in assuming Maggie was in the shower. Frantic at this point, unable to squelch her own fears, she went searching for Maggie's clothes from the night before. Spotting the blouse she remembered her girlfriend wearing, she grabbed it. Immediately her eyes were drawn to the neckline, as the tears now fell freely down her face._

_Bianca held the blouse in her hands, staring at small blotches of dark red lipstick. Closing her eyes, she pictured Cecelia, the color of her lips matching the one on the blouse she held in her hand. Suddenly aware of the silence around her, she held onto the article of clothing, standing by the bed as she waited for Maggie to come into the bedroom. _

_Moments later, Maggie came in, dressed in a pair of track pants and a t-shirt, hair still damp from the shower she'd just taken. _

_Before the blonde could say a word, Bianca spoke calmly. "How long, Maggie?_

"_What? What do you mean?" Maggie asked, completely caught off guard as to what the brunette was referring to. _

"_This, Maggie! Her lipstick is on your clothes!" Bianca held up the tan colored blouse by its collar, making sure the lipstick was visible. She then reached for her purse and pulled out the note that was attached to the rose Cecelia had given her. "And explain this!"_

_Maggie stepped forward, taking the note from Bianca's shaky fingers. _

"_There was a rose that came with that but I tossed it," Bianca sniped while Maggie read the note silently. She kept her eyes on her girlfriend, waiting for an answer._

_Folding the note, she brought her gaze to meet Bianca's. "I…"_

"_How long? How long has this been going on, Maggie?" glaring icily at the blonde. Bianca exercised every bit of self control not to lose her temper as she stood there. "Is this why you're so hesitant towards commitment? Because you've been messing around with Cecelia behind my back?! Answer me, Maggie!" she tossed the blouse across the room. "How. Long?!"_

_Maggie's eyes shifted from left to right, swallowing the lump in her throat. "It only happened once. I…"_

"_When?"_

"_Last night."_

_Shocked filled Bianca's face as she slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, tears falling from her eyes. "You left here last night and fell into another woman's bed. Cecelia's," her voice now a pained whisper. "Why, Maggie?" How… how could you do this?"_

"_I don't know."_

_Bianca's gaze narrowed, "You don't know? How could you not know!? I most certainly would if I was sleeping with someone else!"_

_Maggie knelt down in front of her girlfriend, "I'm so sorry, Bianca. I never meant for it to happen. I…" pleading as she reached up to wipe away the moisture on her girlfriend's face, only to be met with unexpected resistance. _

"_No! Don't…" Bianca choked back a sob, her angry eyes glaring at Maggie, swiping her hands away. "Don't… touch me! You don't want a commitment, fine I get that. But for you to sleep with someone else, God, Maggie."_

"_Bianca."_

"_Just please, don't!" she stood up, knocking Maggie off balance. Storming out of the bedroom, she rushed down the hallway and down the staircase. "Just leave me alone. I need to be alone right now."_

"_Bianca wait!" Maggie shouted, picking herself up off the floor and running out of the bedroom. She nearly tripped down the steps as she followed Bianca to the foyer. "Where are you going?"_

"_For a walk. Somewhere, anywhere but here because right now, I just can't be in the same room with you," turning around, her pain filled gaze meeting Maggie's remorseful one, as they stood there in a long awkward silence. "Claire should be back with Miranda soon. Spend some time with her because when I get back, we are going to have a long talk about where you and I stand in this relationship." _

_Not saying much else, Bianca grabbed her coat and left. Once outside in the hallway, she walked down the corridor and found a private corner. Leaning against the wall, she slid down to the floor and broke down in tears. Bianca curled up into a ball and cried. Her world, her love and her heart, all of it, shattered to pieces._

"Where did you go?" Kendall asked.

"Back to the office. I threw myself into work, doing anything and everything to keep my mind off of the fact that Maggie slept with someone else."

"Oh, God, Binks. I can't even begin to imagine how you must have felt," she moved closer to Bianca, wrapping an arm around her. "Come on, let's get you to bed. It's been such a long night already."

Bianca shook her head. "No, I can't. I'm not ready to go to sleep yet."

"You look exhausted. We can finish this talk in the morning."

"No Kendall, we can't. Not when I think back on everything that's happened and it feels like I could have done something," Bianca stared at the fireplace for a long moment, processing her thoughts before turning toward Kendall. "You know, JR reacted in the worst possible way to Babe cheating on him. And when I found out Maggie cheated on me, I stuck my tail between my legs and ran home to Mommy. Instead of staying in Paris, working things out and fighting for the woman I love, I told her to work out her feelings on her own time and I'd be waiting here if she ever wanted to come back to me. How pathetic is that?"

"That's not pathetic. It's civilized. It's adult." Kendall countered.

"It's lame, it's weak," biting down on her bottom lip, chin quivering as tears filled the corners of her eyes again. "You know, I had no problem standing up to JR that night at the Valley Inn. Why didn't I stay and fight for the one person I want and love most in this world?"

Kendall sighed, taking her sister's hands in hers. "Okay, repeat after me. You, right. Maggie, wrong."

"No Kendall, I'm not sure I am right," Bianca disagreed, sharing her own brand of reasoning. "When Maggie told me the truth, we tried to talk. But I also bailed. I should have done something."

"You did. You took your daughter, and you got the hell out of there."

"Yeah, I ran. I did the one thing we've been taught our whole lives not to do. Kane women do not run away."

"Bianca," Kendall drawled. "How many times have you pulled me back from the brink? There is nothing wrong with turning to your family when you have a rough time in your relationship."

"I know. But what if by running away, I guaranteed that the relationship is over. Maybe Maggie thinks I don't care anymore. Maybe if I had stayed, it would have proven to her how much I want the relationship to work, and we could have salvaged what we had," Bianca reasoned, a sense of regret in her voice.

"Maggie lied to you. You gave her your heart, and she betrayed you," Kendall replied, trying her best to drill her point home to the brunette. Unfortunately, she already knew this was a battle that couldn't be won. "Just forget about her."

Bianca laughed sarcastically. "Oh, yeah right. I'll forget about Maggie when you forget about Zach."

"You know," the curly haired woman chuckled. "Josh used that same line on me when I tried to tell him to forget about Babe. He said, "When you forget about Zach." Now, when will you people learn? Do as I say, not as I do." Bianca laughed at her. "Binks, you are by far, the most beautiful woman I have ever known," reaching out and cupping her sister's cheek. "Inside and out. I know the right person will come along."

"She has," Bianca smiled sadly. "I'm in love with Maggie. Just like…"

"Just like I'm in love with Zach. Okay, fine. I get it."

"It's crazy. When you love someone, you can forgive the unforgivable." Bianca yawned, sleepiness beginning to wear her down. "Okay, I think it's time for me to get some sleep."

"Yes, and I need to get home to Zach and Spike," Kendall got up from the couch. She and Bianca walked to the door. "Everything will be okay, Binks. You'll get through this."

"Mmm, I know," she smiled, enveloping the older Kane woman in a warm embrace. "Thank you Kendall."

"No sweat. It's what big sisters are for."

--

Anna swiftly walked toward the door, unsure as to who would be coming by to visit. Opening it, she found a woman, about her height standing opposite her. Instinctively, Anna already knew who it was, not even bothering to ask her name. "Cecelia, I presume?"

"Yes. I was hoping I could talk to Maggie?" Cecelia asked, although it was more of a request than a question.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Anna's brow furrowed, acting impulsively on her senses. Just by looking at her, she could tell the woman was nothing but trouble.

Cecelia nodded. "I mean no harm, but if you insist it's not a good idea, I'll leave."

"No, wait," a voice called out. Maggie walked toward the door and stood behind Anna. "Go ahead, let her in."

_-end chapter-_


	5. Chapter 5

_Another summer day  
Is come and gone away  
In Paris and Rome  
But I wanna go home  
Maybe surrounded by  
A million people I  
Still feel all alone  
I just want to go home  
Oh I miss you, you know  
**-Home,** Michael Buble_

Maggie turned around and took her bag from Anna, slipping the strap over her shoulder. She brushed some hair out of her eyes, giving the older woman an unsure smile. "Well, I guess this is it. Again, thank you so much for all your help. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Oh, it's no problem at all," Anna replied with her distinct British accent. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Maggie. "You know I'd do anything for you."

"Yeah, I know," Maggie hugged her tight.

Pulling away, Anna placed her hands on the younger woman's shoulders. "You have a safe flight. Give me a call when you arrive so I know you got there safely."

"Okay, Mom," Maggie jokingly replied as she rolled her eyes. Though, saying those words seemed so natural considering how Anna hadn't left her side since their heart to heart.

"You should get going."

"Yeah, I should."

"Take care," Anna pressed a kiss to Maggie's forehead. "It'll all be okay, you'll see."

With one last nod, Maggie smiled and started walking down toward the gate. After handing her boarding pass to the attendant, she glanced over her shoulder and waved one last time before stepping through the doorway.

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot finally gave clearance for passengers to use their portable electronic devices. Maggie reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her iPod, taking the earphones and slipping them into her ears. After choosing a playlist, she settled back in her seat and closed her eyes.

Sighing softly, she smiled inwardly, still feeling proud of herself for handling her encounter with Cecelia earlier in the day.

_Anna turned around and saw Maggie approaching the door. "Are you sure about this? We need to leave for the airport soon."_

"_I can handle this, Anna." Maggie confidently replied. "My suitcases are upstairs, if you want, you can bring them down."_

_Hesitant to leave the blonde's side, Anna finally relented. "Alright. But if you need backup you know what you need to do."_

_Maggie smiled. "I know." She waited until Anna disappeared up the steps before turning to Cecelia, her gaze narrowing. "You better have a good reason for coming here."_

"_Yes, I do, actually. Can I come in, though?"_

"_Fine." _

_Cecelia cautiously stepped inside and waited for Maggie to shut the door. She followed the blonde down the hallway and into the living room, taking a seat on the couch. Hesitant to look anywhere else, she kept her eyes on Maggie, waiting for her to speak._

_Maggie knew to keep her distance from Cecelia, taking space in a chair perpendicular to the couch. "You said you had a good reason, I'd like to hear it," her voice stern, obvious she was still harboring the hurt from everything that had happened. "I've got a flight to catch, so-"_

"_I wanted to apologize," she abruptly replied. "There, I said it… I wanted to come here and tell you that I'm sorry."_

"_Sorry? Sorry for what?" Maggie retorted, her tone not exactly endearing, let alone kind or accepting. In fact, she was almost laughing. "Sorry for making my life a living hell? I just spent the last month and a half wallowing in my own misery and you come by here, saying how sorry you are, expecting me to accept your apology?"_

_Cecelia chuckled. "Well, you know, I'm not totally at fault, if I remember correctly, you were more than willing to sleep with me."_

"_And I'll be regretting it forever," mumbling under her breath. "You know, because of what I did, I may have lost the best thing that's ever happened to me. You may think it's funny Cecelia, but it may very well have ruined my life!"_

_Not wanting to further complicate things, Cecelia chose not to reply. She peered at Maggie's eyes, noticing the remorse on her face. "You really love her, don't you?"_

"_Yeah," Maggie's voice trailed. "More than you know. She's my everything." Sitting up, she quickly regained her composure, staring intently at Cecelia. "I know I've told you this over and over, but this time, you're going to have to listen. I do not want you to come near me ever again. I don't care if we're in the same class, I'll sit on the other end of the room if I have to. I want you to have no part of any study group I'm in. I don't care what I have to do, if it means working alone, I will. I just want you out of my life, once and for all." Maggie held a firm gaze. "Please, just stay away. Move on, because there will never be anything between you and me."_

_Cecelia swallowed the lump in her throat. Tempted to reply, she didn't and kept her mouth shut. Instead, she stood up and grabbed her purse. "I should go then."_

"_Yeah, I think that's a good idea," Maggie nodded. She got up from chair and followed Cecelia to the door. "Because there is nothing else to talk about. You and I, we are done. In fact, there was never a you and I to begin with."_

_Cecelia stood at the doorway and turned around. "I guess this is goodbye."_

"_Yes. Once and for all," Maggie replied, her tone somewhat cold. _

"_Just so you know, I'm transferring programs, so come next semester, you won't have to see my face ever again._

"_Good."_

"_Goodbye, then." Cecelia said, one last time before embarking down the hall toward the elevator._

_Maggie shut the door and leaned against it. Closing her eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders._

"_Is everything okay?" spoke a voice from behind._

_Still leaning against the door, Maggie replied, "Yeah, everything is fine, now."_

"Have a good day," the stewardess smiled. "Thank you for flying with us."

Maggie smiled back at the flight crew. "Thank you for a safe flight. Have a happy holiday," she replied, making her way toward the arrivals terminal. Her next task, to pick up the car rental that Anna had reserved for her.

She arrived at the Valley Inn an hour and a half later, luggage in her hands as she strolled up to the front desk. "Hi, I'm here to check in. I think the reservation is under Devane."

The front desk clerk's fingers quickly typed away on the computer. Within seconds, he pulled up the reservation Anna had made and went to grab a keycard. After writing down the room number on the paperwork, he passed it to Maggie for her signature. "I'll just need you to sign here," he said. "Okay, here's you key. Would you like the bellboy to help with your luggage?"

"No, thanks. I've got it," Maggie replied. She stuffed the paperwork into her bag and slung the strap over her shoulder. Finding the nearest open elevator, she walked into it, pressing the button to the 10th floor. As the elevator took its ride up, Maggie glanced to her right, noticing a dark haired male standing next to her, wearing a smile on his face. "Hi," she said feebly.

"Hi," he smiled.

The elevator doors suddenly opened, Maggie immediately stepping into the hallway. She struggled with her bags for a second, one of them nearly dropping. Luckily, someone else managed to catch it, grabbing it by its strap before it hit the floor.

Maggie looked up and saw it was the same guy she from the elevator. "Thanks. I guess I kind of underestimated my own strength."

"No problem. I'll carry it to your room, just lead the way," still wearing the same smile.

"Okay, I think it's this way," Maggie started walking, checking the room numbers as she passed them. "Here it is," turning around to take her bag. "Um, thank you."

"No problem," he said, handing over Maggie's bag. "I know I might seem a bit straightforward, but I was thinking, if you're free, maybe we can do dinner? I can show you around this small town. I mean you're new here, right?"

Maggie tried to stifle her own amusement. Her first day back in town and she was already being hit on. Pushing back some hair behind her ear, she smiled apologetically. "I'd love to, but I'm already involved with someone."

"Oh, okay then. But just so you know, I find you very attractive. Whoever you're with is extremely lucky. You let that person know."

"Don't worry, I will," Maggie said, watching him walk away. She pulled the keycard out of her pocket and slipped it into the slot, pushing the door open and walking inside, recognizing the familiar surroundings. Give credit to Anna Devane for reserving the same exact room she had stayed in a few years ago, when first arriving to town.

Dropping her bags by the bed, she sat down and took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm here now. Might as well let her know," glancing at the clock while trying to figure out what time it was in Paris.

After a brief call to Anna to let her know she had arrived safely, Maggie opened her suitcase and grabbed a new set of clothes. A bit tired from the trans-Atlantic flight, Maggie surmised a shower would refresh her a bit, in hopes that after, she'd get reacquainted with town and possibly find Bianca so they could talk.

Or at least try to.

--

Kendall scurried around the Fusion office like a chicken with its head cut off. As much as she loved the Christmas season, she dreaded it at the same time. It wasn't anything personal, because in all reality, this year's holiday was a special one because of Spike. But on a different token, the holiday from a business sense meant crunch time.

"Come on, people. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve and I'd like to shut down the office today," she spoke out loud. Her statement wasn't toward anyone in particular, but hoped it served as motivation for everyone to work a little more efficient than usual.

"And I thought Erica was bossy," Josh quipped, strolling into the office with a cardboard tray containing three cups of coffee. He gave one to Bianca then handed Kendall hers. "Here, I thought you could use this."

"Thank you and you're late," Kendall said, taking a quick sip as she stared at the expense report in her hand.

Josh sat down in front of the computer, coffee cup still in hand while checking his e-mail. Ignoring Kendall's stressed out rants, he leaned over to Bianca. "She's worse than Erica, you know."

"Hey, I heard that!" Kendall retorted from across the table.

Bianca stifled a giggle before replying to Josh. "I'm going to cut our sister some slack and blame it on end of the year jitters," smiling at her older sister. "Right, Kendall?"

"Yeah, whatever," the curly haired woman rose from her chair. Hearing the elevator doors open, she looked over to see who was coming into the office. Much to her surprise, it was the one person she least expected to step foot inside of Fusion. "I take it you have a good reason to be here right now?"

"Yes, I do,"

Bianca's head jerked up, immediately recognizing the voice. "Maggie?" she muttered, locking eyes with her estranged lover.

"Wait, what… Maggie?" Josh's gaze went from Maggie to Kendall to Bianca and back to Maggie. "That's… that's her?"

Maggie quickly noticed who was sitting next to Bianca. "You," the realization finally dawned on her. "You're Josh Madden? You made a pass at me."

"Good going, Josh. Your track record of hitting on the taken ones never ceases to amaze me," Kendall remarked sarcastically. "I see you've met my brother, the one who hits on anything that's female and breathes," glancing at Josh before bringing her attention back to the shorter woman in front of her. "So, you're here because?"

"I was hoping I could talk to Bianca." Maggie replied, not once taking her eyes off of her girlfriend. "If she wants to, that is,"

Kendall and Josh looked toward Bianca, waiting for her answer. Not even realizing they how they were staring at her, she stood up. "I need some air. I'm going to the rooftop, if you want to talk, that's where I'll be."

"Um, yeah, okay, the rooftop," Maggie nodded. She started to follow after Bianca but was momentarily stopped by Kendall.

"I take it you're here to try and fix things?" the curly haired beauty asked, earning a nod from the blonde. "I'm still mad at you for what you did to her, but I'm going to give you credit for trying."

Not bothering to reply, Maggie brushed past Kendall and disappeared into the staircase leading to the Fusion rooftop. She pushed the door open and found Bianca standing at the railing, arms wrapped around her body. Stepping through the doorway, she walked over and took off her coat, draping it over Bianca's shoulders.

"Thanks." Bianca stared straight ahead, pulling the coat tightly around her.

Neither woman spoke for a few moments, both unsure of what to say or where to begin. Uncomfortable with the ongoing silence, Maggie felt compelled to speak. "So, umm… I see not much as changed."

"When did you get in?" Bianca asked.

"A few hours ago. I landed in Philly and drove the rest of the way."

"Oh, okay."

"Yeah. I'm staying at the Valley Inn. Anna… she arranged everything for me," Maggie shivered slightly at the cold breeze.

"That's nice of her," the brunette replied.

Sensing the tension in their conversation so far, Maggie decided to make an attempt to ease it. "Bianca, please look at me."

Bianca closed her eyes. "No. I can't," she said, shaking her head. "I just…"

"Why?"

"Because if I do, it'll bring back all the hurt. I just can't Maggie. Not yet," Bianca's gaze fell, trying to hide the tear that had escaped. She quickly swiped it away, clearing her throat. "I get that you're here, but I'm just not ready yet. I… need more time."

Maggie bit down on her lip and nodded. "Okay, I understand," she replied, hiding the hurt in her voice. "I… I should go. Like I said before, I'm staying at the Valley Inn, when you're ready to talk, I'll be there," she started walking toward the door.

"Maggie, wait," Bianca called out. She watched the blonde turn around. "Your coat."

"You can hold onto it, I have another one back at my room."

"Okay. Um, Maggie, what are you doing for Christmas Eve?" Bianca asked, already knowing the answer.

Maggie shrugged. "Nothing, really. Probably going to order room service and catch up on some reading."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Bianca tilted her head slightly and gave Maggie a somewhat hopeful smile. "You're welcome to spend the holiday at my mother's and Uncle Jack's. Maybe we can set aside what's happened for a day or so, at least for Miranda? I know she'd love to see you."

"Sure, okay." Maggie answered, returning Bianca's smile with one of her own, feeling as though some kind of headway was made. It was indeed a step, albeit a small one. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow."

--

"Mommy? Open presents now?" Miranda asked. She tugged at her mother's hand, pulling her towards the Christmas tree. "Wanna open, Mommy."

Bianca scooped the little girl into her arms, brushing some light brown hair away from her eyes. "Not yet, sweetheart. We need to wait for Santa to come first, okay?"

"No open?" Miranda pouted.

"Not yet," Bianca pressed a kiss to Miranda's cheek. "But I promise you, first thing tomorrow morning you can open all of your presents. Okay?"

"Otay, Mommy," she smiled. "Wanna get down."

Heeding the child's request, Bianca lowered the child to the floor. Just as Miranda was about to run into the living room, the doorbell rang, diverting her toward the door and causing Bianca to follow close behind.

Jack was the first to open the door, surprised to see who was standing at the doorstep. "Well, well, well, it's so good to see you," he bellowed happily. "Come on in."

Maggie stepped inside, once again locking eyes with Bianca who was standing at the other end of the foyer. Before she could take off her coat, a tiny voice squealed with joy, causing her heart to swell with warmth,

"Maaaaggieeee!" Miranda flew into Maggie's arms, embracing her as tight as she could. "Maggie, I miss you lots."

"Oh, munchkin, I've missed you, too," Maggie wrapped her arms around the child, her nose buried in the little girl's hair. "More than you know," she whispered softly.

Miranda pulled back slightly and kissed the blonde on the nose. "Maggie and Mommy no mad anymore?"

Maggie looked over at Bianca, knowing she'd heard what Miranda had just asked. Deciding to avoid the question altogether, she set Miranda down on the floor and took off her coat. "Let me look at you," eyeing the child up and down. "You've grown so much."

"Maggie no go 'way no more?" Miranda looked up at her, hopeful look written all over her face.

"Tell you what, Munchie. Why don't you show Maggie the Christmas tree," Bianca piped in, saving her from any further interrogation by their little girl.

"Come Maggie. Go look at the kiss-muss tree." Miranda took her hand and led her into the living room.

Bianca watched her daughter pull Maggie into the other room while trying to hide the sad smile on her face. She sighed deeply, feeling her Uncle Jack's warm hands on her shoulders. "This is probably the first time in a while I've seen Miranda so happy. I can't remember the last time she's smiled like that," she spoke softly, gazing intently into the living room where Miranda was babbling on and on to Maggie about Santa Claus and presents.

"I'm sure it's because she's missed Maggie so much," Jack replied, squeezing his niece's shoulders comfortingly.

"I know she has. There have been nights she would ask me about her, wondering when Maggie would come," Bianca answered.

Jack's brow furrowed. "And what did you tell her?"

"That Mommy and Maggie had a disagreement and we needed some time apart."

"Honey, I don't think a two year old is able to comprehend that."

"Yeah, she didn't, so I told her that Mommy and Maggie were mad and that we were here so she could get to know her cousin Spike." Bianca sat down in one of the chairs in the foyer. "Now, Maggie is here in Pine Valley and Miranda is probably wondering when we're going back to Paris." She brought a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. "Oh, Uncle Jack, why is this so confusing?"

Jack knelt down in front of the brunette and took her hands. "Listen, it's Christmas Eve… why don't you put aside those worries and make the best of this holiday with Maggie and Miranda."

"That's what I told Maggie, it's why I invited her, so we could both be with Miranda, as a family."

"See, now there you go," smiling at Bianca. "So, let's go into the living room and enjoy this holiday. Plus, your mother is here. And after everything she and I have been through these last few months, I'd say there's hope for you and Maggie. But for now, it's time to for the Montgomery's to have a very merry Christmas. Family now, relationship problems, later."

--

Kendall nudged Bianca in her side. "I must say Binks, you're probably the only Kane woman with a big heart."

"What do you mean?" Bianca asked.

"I see the way you're looking at her, at Maggie," the curly haired woman replied, her eyes focused across the room at Miranda and Maggie sitting by the tree. "What did she say to you at the rooftop?"

Bianca lifted the cup of tea to her lips and took a quick sip. "Nothing. We didn't really talk. I wasn't ready to."

"So, how did she end up here?"

"I invited her. I did it for Miranda."

"And for yourself. Admit it, you've missed her."

"Yeah, I have."

"So why not talk to her?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

Bianca set her cup on the table and faced her sister. "Because if I… if she and I finally talk about what's happened, I'm scared of what it might mean."

Kendall's forehead wrinkled. She cocked an eyebrow, a bit confused at her sister's words. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Maybe Maggie and I just aren't meant for each other. What if we can't work things out?"

"Well, you won't know unless the two of you talk. Where is she staying?"

"The Valley Inn," Bianca replied.

Kendall guided Bianca toward the window so they could have some privacy. "And then what?" earning a knowing look from Bianca. "Okay, fine. I know I'm not the best person to talk to when it comes to relationships considering my track record. And yes, I told you to forget about Maggie and move on."

"If I recall correctly, yes you did." Bianca nodded.

"Well, now I'm telling you to forget about what I said and to simply follow your heart. I've made enough mistakes with my own love life and almost lost Zach. I don't want you to make the same mistake and lose the one thing that's meant most to you."

--

Zach stood by the fireplace, his gazed affixed on Kendall and Bianca standing in the corner. Bringing the cup of eggnog to his mouth, he finished the last of his drink before setting it down on the mantle. He could tell his wife and sister in law were in deep conversation, judging from the serious looks on both their faces. Deciding to leave the women alone, he sat down on the couch, next to Miranda and Maggie.

"Hi there," he greeted Maggie while pulling Miranda onto his lap.

"Hi," Maggie responded.

"What's up?"

"Um, nothing?" Maggie swiped a lock of hair behind her ear.

Zach smiled. He set Miranda on her feet and whispered something in her ear causing the little girl to run joyously across the room to where Kendall and Bianca were standing. "Okay, now that I have Kendall and Bianca distracted, you and I can talk one on one. Come on," standing up, he motioned toward the front door. "We're going to talk."

Confused, Maggie heeded Zach's request and followed him out of the room. Grabbing her coat along the way, she stepped out onto the front porch, Zach waiting for her as he sat on the wooden swing.

"Well, are you just going to stand there?" he asked.

Maggie went and sat on the swing, wrapping her coat tightly around her body as she shivered slightly at the cold wind blowing around them.

"So, tell me what happened," Zach spoke.

"What is there to tell, I'm sure Bianca… or Kendall told you what I did," Maggie said, mumbling the last part of her answer. "What do you care?"

Zach turned his head and looked at Maggie. "I care enough to know that you and Bianca have something good, something I don't think either of you should throw away."

"Easy for you to say," Maggie chuckled. "Bianca doesn't even want to talk to me."

"Give her time, she will."

"She hasn't said a word to me since I arrived. I've spent the last hour with Miranda and you'd think she'd sit by us, maybe give the munchkin some semblance of normal, after being apart for all this time."

"Then I'd say you have your work cut out for you."

"I don't even know where to begin."

Zach quirked an eyebrow, "I have experience with Kane women. Okay, just Kendall." Maggie laughed at him. "What you need to do is get Bianca to believe in you again. Whatever it takes, make every attempt to instill her faith in you. Keep on fighting for heart and don't give up."

Maggie sank back against the swing, heaving an exasperated sigh. "It's why I'm here. But like I said before, she won't talk to me, heck she won't even look at me."

"But she invited you here to the house, didn't she?"

"Yeah."

"So, Bianca took that step, maybe she's waiting for you to make the next move."

"You think so?"

Zach rubbed chin and nodded. "Maybe, but you won't know unless you try." He shifted around and looked through the window. "Go on, Bianca and Miranda are by the tree, talk to her. Just take it all step by step. It's how I got Kendall back, to love me again."

Maggie pondered his words for a moment before standing up. "I guess I should try. I owe it to myself and to her if I want to get us back to how things used to be." Before reentering the house, she turned back around, "Hey Zach?" meeting his gaze. "Thanks," she said before disappearing into the house.

Exhaling another long breath, Zach sat back on the swing and closed his eyes. He then felt a presence next to him, a pair of familiar hands cupping his face, warm lips pressing themselves to his. "Mmmm," he moaned happily before opening his eyes. "Hi there."

"Hi yourself," Kendall slid onto the swing, her body pressed up against him. "What did you say to her?"

"What did I say to who?"

"To Maggie," Kendall motioned for him to look through the window. "They're being civil to each other."

Zach shrugged. "What makes you think I said something to her? All we did was talk, you know about Paris and its novelties. You know, maybe we should take a trip sometime. We can drop Spike with your sister and Maggie. I'm sure Miranda would enjoy a playmate for a bit."

"Yeah, that's if Bianca and Maggie are still together," Kendall said, turning back around and resting her head on Zach's shoulder.

"Oh, they'll be together. If there are two people in this world besides you and me that are destined to last, it's them." Zach wrapped his arm around Kendall, pulling her close as they two of them stared up at the night sky.

_-end chapter-_


	6. Chapter 6

_Darlin' I can't explain  
Where did we lose our way  
Girl, it's drivin' me insane  
And I know I just need one more chance  
To prove my love to you  
And if you come back to me  
I'll guarantee  
That I'll never let you go_

_Can we go back to the days our love was strong  
Can you tell me how a perfect love goes wrong  
Can somebody tell me how to get things back  
The way they used to be  
Oh God give me a reason  
I'm down on bended knee  
I'll never walk again until you come back to me  
I'm down on bended knee  
**-On Bended Knee**, Boyz II Men_

Miranda toddled across the room to her mother. "Mommy?" she stopped at the couch. "Go to park? Go snow?"

Bianca smiled at the child. "You want to go play in the snow?" Miranda nodded. "Okay, let's get you dressed and we'll go the park."

"Yay!" Miranda jumped up and down. She tugged at Bianca's hand, leading her towards the staircase. Just as they were about the climb the steps, she stopped and looked up, "Maggie go too?"

A small sigh escaped from Bianca. Taking the little girl into her arms, she smiled slightly. Make no mistake about it; now that Maggie was in town, Miranda would be persistent in asking about her, wondering when they would be reunited as a family unit once again.

"We'll see, honey. Okay?"

"Otay."

--

Maggie strolled through the streets of Pine Valley, reacquainting herself with the surroundings. As she walked, she noticed the changes, not that there were many since departing almost two years ago. A majority of them were subtle, like a new sign or awning for one of the storefronts, a new lamppost here, another traffic light there. Subtle.

She found herself turning into Pine Valley Park, following the path in front of her. Figuring how she had nothing else to do, a walk in one of her favorite places would ease her mind somewhat, as she waited for the moment when Bianca would be ready to talk to her. As she walked further down the path, she heard a familiar sound, one of a child laughing. Nearing its origin, Maggie came to realize it was Miranda, giggling like any other two year old would as she frolicked in the snow.

Maggie stood in the near distance for a moment, a smile curling her lips as she observed the child. Her heart warmed at the sight, reminded of days when she used to take Miranda to the park where they would feed the ducks or sometimes play with the dogs that were running freely. She began to wonder if they'd ever have that opportunity again, to spend time with one another like before.

Without realizing it, a tear managed to escape from Maggie's eye. So completely enamored by Miranda's joy, she failed to hear the tiny voice that was calling out her name.

"Maggie! Maggie! Maggie!" came a shout that was barreling closer and closer.

Maggie was quickly brought back to the present, the tiny voice registering in her mind. She bent down and spread her arms open as a small body launched itself into them. "Hi Miranda," Maggie wrapped her arms around her. "Having fun?"

Miranda nodded, "Play, too?"

"Miranda! I thought told you to… Oh, Maggie," Bianca stopped mid-sentence.

Maggie released her embrace on the little girl and looked into her eyes. "What did we tell you about wandering away?"

Miranda shuffled her hands together and stared at the ground. "No run?"

"Yes, sweetie."

"Sowwy," she replied.

Maggie fixed Miranda's hat and gloves. "You don't have to say sorry to me, honey. But you should say it to Mommy, go on," she said, glancing up at Bianca.

Miranda stepped closer to Bianca and looked up. "Sowwy, Mommy. I no do it again."

Bianca bent down on her knees, so she was eye level with her daughter. "Come here, sweetheart," pulling Miranda into her arms. "Just don't wander away, okay?"

"Otay," Miranda pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek. Glancing at Maggie then her mother, her tiny forehead furrowed as though she were about to ask a question. "Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"We go home now? Go Paris? Maggie no go 'way no more. Go home now?" Miranda's eyes filled with hope. She gave Maggie those same eyes, waiting for an answer.

Before Bianca could respond, Maggie spoke. "You know what, sweetie, not yet. I mean don't you want to get to know your cousin Spike a bit more?" she looked at Bianca, hoping the brunette would follow her lead.

"Not yet, Miranda. But I promise, we will go home." Bianca replied. Standing up, she guided Miranda over to one of the benches and sat down.

Not quite understanding what her mother said, Miranda still nodded. "Wanna play more?"

"Okay, you can play for a little while longer. Maggie and I will be sitting right here." Bianca said, watching Miranda scurry after a small bird that had landed on the ground. She sat back and sighed, once again not making any eye contact with Maggie.

Maggie watched Bianca for a moment, somewhat annoyed, both at herself and at her. If there were to be any chance of working out their relationship, Bianca needed to be open to talking. At the present moment in time, that wasn't the case. But she wasn't about to give up, not now, not ever.

"Bianca, please hear me out, okay? I came here for a reason," Maggie started speaking, regardless of whether or not Bianca chose to look at her. "And that reason is you. I know what I did was unforgivable. But I want us to work this out. If there's any way we're going to salvage what's left of our relationship, we need to sit down and talk."

Bianca closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Finally, for the first time in days, she turned her head and met Maggie's gaze. "Fine, we'll talk. But not here, not in front of Miranda," glancing at the child. "I'll come by your hotel room tonight and we'll talk there."

"Okay," Maggie nodded, feeling somewhat relieved in a way. It was yet another step on their journey back to one another. Not wanting to crowd Bianca or pressure her, she got up. "I'm going to go."

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I want to give you your space. Like you said, we can talk about everything, tonight. Give the munchkin a kiss for me."

Bianca nodded. "Alright. Um, Maggie?"

"Yes?" Maggie looked back.

"I've missed you," smiling slightly as she pushed some hair behind her ear.

Maggie's heart warmed at the words, somewhat overwhelmed at how such a simple phrase resonated so much feeling inside of her. Giving Bianca her patented crooked Stone smile, she held her gaze.

"I've missed you, too."

--

Anna walked down the street, keeping a firm hold of Duke's leash. She stopped in front of a bakery, her eyes drawn toward the tantalizing treats in the window. Tempted to go inside and purchase a sweet confection or two, her craving was brought to a halt upon hearing the Duke growl.

"Hey now, you know I don't like it when you do that," she spoke, not bothering to see why the golden retriever was suddenly grumpy. "Come on, stop it."

"I'm sorry, I guess he doesn't like me," a voice responded.

Anna immediately recognized the voice. "Cecelia," she said, her tone becoming stern. "Well, then I guess he's got good reason not to like you, considering what you did to Bianca and Maggie."

"I…"

"Oh, please spare me the excuses. Maggie may have gone a bit soft on you, but not me," glaring at the younger woman. She tugged Duke's leash slightly, causing the canine to take a few steps back. "Pardon my language, but you, my dear, are a bitch. How can you live with yourself going around tanking people's relationships?"

"Excuse me, but I did not tank Maggie's relationship," Cecelia said nonchalantly.

Anna quirked an eyebrow, "But you had every intention to. It's why you chose to shove Maggie's infidelity in Bianca's face, right? You purposely wanted Bianca to find out, so they'd break up and you'd finally have Maggie," she smirked, followed by a cunning laugh. "But I guess the joke's on you. Maggie didn't come crawling back to your bed, did she? Serves you right."

Cecelia swallowed the lump in her throat. "Well, Maggie and I said goodbye. She ordered me out of her life and I plan on doing honoring her request."

"Oh, you most definitely will, especially if I'm around," Anna stared intently into Cecelia's eyes. "You will never go near her, never contact her, you understand me?"

"Yes."

"And if you do. If you dare to defy me," sarcastically laughing under her breath, "Well, let's not go there. I'd hate to see what would happen, if you choose to live dangerously and test me. Secret agents have a way of making people disappear you know. So, do you understand me?"

Cecelia nodded, trying not to let her fear show. "Yeah. Yes, I do."

"Good. And you'll listen, if you know what's good for you."

--

Maggie checked her watch, realizing half the afternoon had gone by without her noticing. As she continued to stroll the streets of Pine Valley, her curiosity peaked at a something to her left. Recognizing it to be the building that housed the Fusion office, she couldn't help but notice the ground floor and its bright windows. She walked closer to it, reading the name on the door.

"ConFusion?" she said. "Huh, that's original."

She read the hours and checked her watch again. "Well, I guess I'm a bit early for Happy Hour."

"Maggie?" came a low voice from behind.

Maggie froze in place, unsure if she was hearing things. Slowly turning around, her instincts were confirmed, finding herself standing face to face with Jonathan Lavery.

"Maggie, Um, wow. I had no idea you were in town," Jonathan blew a warm breath into his hands, trying to fight the chill around them.

"Yeah, I got in a few days ago," her tone was stiff, though she too, felt the cold air surrounding them. "I, umm… I have something I needed to take care of."

"Listen, why don't you come inside for a bit? It's really cold out here and I need to oversee the staff setting up for tonight," Jonathan said, stepping in front of Maggie and unlocking the entrance to ConFusion. Holding the door open, he motioned for her to step inside. Suddenly noticing the hesitancy in her eyes, he knew the reason why. "I understand if you're not to keen on being around me, especially after everything I did."

"Yeah, no kidding," Maggie muttered.

"But you look like you could use a moment to maybe sit down or something. It's warm inside and I'll leave you alone, if you'd like me to."

"Fine, fine. I'll come in."

"Good. You won't be disappointed with this place."

"Yeah, whatever." Maggie stepped through the doors of ConFusion, her jaw dropping at the lavish décor before her. "Wow."

"Cool, huh?" Jonathan smiled. "But I can't take any of the credit. It all goes to the girls of Fusion. Have a seat," he pointed to one of the stools at the bar. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No thanks," Maggie declined. A memory flashed in her mind, recalling the day she'd gotten the news of the kidnappings and mountain explosion. A shiver went down her spine thinking about it, the horrifying details still etched in her brain. Looking up at Jonathan, it only caused her to wonder what kind of difference a year made.

Jonathan eyed the blonde curiously. He could tell Maggie was in deep thought, surmising from the look on her face. And although, he had made amends with almost everyone he inflicted hurt on, before him was the woman he hurt the most.

"Maggie, I…"

"Save it. If you're expecting forgiveness, think again. I will never forgive you. Not in a million years."

"I just wanted to apologize. If things had been different, I never would have hit you-."

"Yeah? Well, they weren't different, were they? Save your apologies because I don't care. I got over it and I got over you and far as I'm concerned, you were just a bad nightmare."

Jonathan dug a hand into his pocket, the other he raked through his short blonde hair. "Okay, I deserved that."

Maggie rolled her eyes in disgust. "Oh, will you just stop it?" she retorted. "I can't believe you got off scot-free after everything. I should have pressed charges when I had the chance, maybe if I did, all the craziness wouldn't have happened."

"Look, I'm a better person now." Jonathan felt the need to defend himself.

"You can say that all you want, make everyone believe it, but I sure as hell, won't. In my eyes, you'll always be the man who practically wrecked my life," Maggie stared at him head on. The look on her face spoke courage and determination.

Jonathan stood, amazed at Maggie's attitude. She was definitely not the same Maggie Stone who left Pine Valley nearly two years ago. "I see living in Paris gave you quite an edge."

"You bet it did," Maggie's gaze fell. She licked her lips and bit down on the bottom one. "When I left this town, my life was pretty much in pieces. I was a mess. And thank God, Bianca was there to help put me back together."

"Well, it seems like she did a good job."

"Yeah, she did."

While Jonathan and Maggie chatted at the bar, a figure lurked in the background. Intrigued at what she was seeing, she chose not to make her presence known. Instead, she remained in the shadows and listened intently. Something about the conversation she was eavesdropping on made her curious, leaving her to wonder why Maggie Stone would be talking to Jonathan Lavery in the first place.

"So, you and Bianca, huh?" Jonathan asked.

Maggie nodded. "Yeah, me and Bianca." She pulled her coat sleeve up and looked at her watch. "I should go."

"Alright," Jonathan walked around the bar and ushered Maggie to the door. "It was nice seeing you, Maggie. Um, take care of yourself."

"I wish I could say the same to you, extend the same sentiment, but I'm sure you understand why I can't," she said, buttoning up her coat. Pulling her gloves on, she patted him on the arm. "But, I guess it's only fair for me to tell you to take care, also. So, um… yeah. Good-bye, Jonathan."

"Good-bye, Maggie."

--

Bianca and Kendall walked out of the nursery, pulling the door closed behind them. Stopping at the couch, Bianca reached for her coat and slipped it on. She picked up her gloves and put them in her pockets, heaving a nervous sigh while doing so.

"Thanks again for taking Miranda, tonight" Bianca said, pulling the zipper of her coat.

Kendall smiled. "It's no problem at all. I love having Mimo over."

"Well, I guess I should get going. Maggie's expecting me," Bianca took a deep breath. Suddenly, she found herself unable to move. "Kendall?"

"Yeah Binks?" noticing the apprehension on her little sister's face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I guess I didn't expect to feel like this, you know?"

"Nervous?"

"Something like that."

Kendall stepped forward and enveloped Bianca in a warm, reassuring hug. "It'll work out. The fact that you agreed to talk to her is the first step."

"I know," she replied, holding onto Kendall for a few more seconds before finally letting go. She pulled away, nodding confidently. "I'll be fine."

"Yes, you will. And when you come back, if you need me. I'll be here."

"Thanks Kendall," Bianca opened the door and walked out.

Kendall closed the door behind her sister peered through the curtains. Watching Bianca get into her car and drive away, she tried to project some good, positive thoughts to her.

"Maggie Stone, you'd better not mess this up."

--

"Is there anything else you need, Ms Stone?"

"No, this is good, thanks," Maggie replied. She reached into her pocket and pulled out some money, handing it to the BJ's delivery boy. "Sorry it isn't much. Most of my cash consists of Euro and I don't think you can do much with that."

"It's okay," he tipped his cap and walked away.

Maggie carried the food to the table and began removing it from the bag. She took a moment and inhaled the succulent scent of her favorite dish. Setting it on the table, she made sure it was securely covered, not wanting to let any of its goodness escape before Bianca arrived. After taking out the rest of the food and placing it on the table, she glanced at the clock.

Out of nowhere, a feeling of nervousness came over her. Maggie stood up and started pacing the room. Looking at the feast she prepared, she then noticed how there was no ice for their drinks. She grabbed the ice bucket from the table by the door and rushed out in search of the icemaker.

Bianca stood inside the elevator, watching the floors change number one by one. She tapped her foot softly hoping the apprehension she felt would dissipate. For a second, it did as the elevator doors opened and she stepped out into the hallway. She walked down the corridor, reading the room numbers. Luckily for her, the search for Maggie's room ended quickly when she came face to face with her girlfriend.

"Hi," Bianca said, taking the initiative to speak first.

"Hi. You're, um… early," Maggie bit the inside of her cheek. She had a feeling something like this would happen. After all, Bianca wasn't the queen of punctuality for nothing. Often times, she constituted early as being on time, chalking it up to the businesswoman in her. "I was just getting some ice," reaching into her back pocket and pulling out her keycard. She slipped it into the slot, pushing the door open. "After you."

Bianca walked inside, immediately recognizing the smell wafting around the room. She turned to Maggie, raising an eyebrow. "Are those what I think they are?"

Maggie gave her a lopsided smile. "I figured you might be hungry. So I went ahead and ordered some food. If it's okay with you, that is."

"Oh, it's fine." Bianca replied. She took off her coat and draped it over one of the empty chairs in the room. Sitting down on the couch, she watched Maggie drop some ice into two glasses. "So, how was the rest of your day?"

"Fine," Maggie twisted the cap open, pouring some soda for both of them. "And yours?"

"Fine, too. Miranda and I didn't stay at the park for much longer after you left."

"Oh?"

"She needed her afternoon nap and you know how fussy she can be sometimes about that."

Maggie joined the brunette on the couch, handing her the glass of soda. "Yeah, I do." She lifted the cover off the food on the table, revealing an appetizing plate of nachos. "Help yourself."

Bianca leaned forward, her fingers delicately pulling out tortilla chip covered in cheese. "Mmm… I think I will."

"What do you say, we enjoy this scrumptious meal before doing anything else. Deal?"

"Deal."

They spent the next hour savoring nachos and chili cheese fries. Needless to say, by the time the food was finished, their stomachs were filled BJ's goodness. Sipping their sodas, they sat quietly on opposite ends of the couch, lost in thought.

"Those were great, thanks," Bianca said, eyeing the empty plate. "Let me help you get this all together so it can be tossed."

"No, it's okay, I got it," Maggie moved off the couch and gathered everything, stuffing the contents into a garbage bag by the door. She went back and took a seat next to the brunette, unable to hide the grin on her face.

Bianca cast a weird look. "What?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just um, some leftover cheese at the corner of your mouth. I got it," Maggie leaned over, her fingers caressing Bianca's soft cheek. Unintentionally, she let her hand linger for a few seconds, not even realizing it. When the sensation finally registered, she pulled back, silently scolding herself for getting too close.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," she managed to find her voice.

"It's okay," Bianca murmured demurely, her eyelashes lowering slightly. Her breath caught in her throat as she was instantly transported back to when Maggie fed her BJ's pancakes before Miranda was born. The way Maggie had caressed her cheek as she wiped away some non-existent butter. "I guess I'm just messy," she whispered in a teasing voice.

"Not really. You never were to me," Maggie replied, just as softly, finding herself lost in Bianca's deep brown eyes. She shifted her body on the couch, leaning closer to Bianca, inches away from her face still gazing into the pools of dark brown. Hand cupping the other woman's cheek, their lips met for a gentle kiss, one neither of them fought.

Bianca closed her eyes and reveled in this moment of closeness, something she hadn't felt in weeks. And although her first instinct was to fight this intimate contact, she chose to surrender, to feel, to let her emotions run free. Her mind was telling her to resist, but her heart told her otherwise, to simply live in the moment and hold onto it, for however long she could. It was the battle she constantly fought, not knowing who or what to listen to. For now though, she chose her heart and even though it as broken, the part that loved Maggie remained intact.

Mutually pulling away after a long moment, they remained close, foreheads pressed together. Maggie kept her hand on Bianca's face, her fingers lightly caressing her cheek.

"God, I've missed you," she whispered achingly, closing her eyes once more as she leaned in to kiss her again, "so much."

Bianca placed her palm on top of Maggie's. "I've missed you, too," she breathed deeply, completely taken by this moment of intimacy. "But-."

"Shh," Maggie pressed her finger to Bianca's lips. "I love you, you know that?"

Taking Maggie's hand in hers, she kissed it. "I know."

"Do you still love me?"

"Of course I do, Maggie."

"Then say it to me, say the words."

"I love you," Bianca's voice trailed, her downcast gaze speaking volumes.

Maggie pulled her hand back, she knew that look. While it was one of pure sincerity, she could tell Bianca had something else to say. "But what? You can tell me," she asked with pleading eyes. "You can talk to me. It's why we're both here."

"I love you, Maggie. But you can't just kiss the hurt away. It doesn't fix everything."

"I know that, I'm not dumb."

"I never said you were," Bianca replied. She sighed deeply, raking a hand through her hair. "I just want to know why you're here."

Instinctively, Maggie became defensive. "I'm here because of what you said. That when I was ready to come back to our relationship, you'd be waiting for me in Pine Valley. You said that, remember?"

"Yeah. But lot of time has passed and I've been here by myself with nothing to do but think."

"And where has all this thinking gotten you?"

"I don't know," Bianca shrugged, exhaling a frustrated breath. "Somewhere. Nowhere. I just don't know. I look around me and all I see are relationships falling apart; my mother and Uncle Jack, Babe and JR. Everywhere I look, it's lies and secrets."

Maggie was silent for a moment. "I made a mistake, Bianca. One I can never take back but will always be sorry for. I didn't lie to you and I was never going to keep it a secret. We're not your mom and Jack and we most certainly aren't Babe and JR. We can work this out, Bianca. I know we can."

"Saying it and doing it are two different things, Maggie. Just because you're sorry for what you've done doesn't automatically guarantee us a fairy-tale happy ending," Bianca reasoned. She could tell her words weren't what Maggie was expecting to hear, but it was the truth. "I want us to work this out, too." Tears flooded her eyes, "God, Maggie, I love you so much but I don't even know where to begin or how to make sense of all of this."

"I've spent the last two months trying to do the same," Maggie muttered sadly.

"And where has it gotten you?" Bianca asked, wiping the moisture from her eyes.

"Here, sitting in front of you right now. Me, telling the woman who means most to me in this world, how much I love her and that I need her in my life."

"I need you in my life too, Maggie."

Maggie moved off the couch and knelt down in front of the brunette. "Then let's work this out, Bianca! My God, do you know what you mean to me? You and Miranda? I don't just need you in my life, you _ARE_ my life. I don't know what I would do without you. Please, Bianca. Come back to Paris with me. Come back home," she was starting to plead and didn't want to put that kind of pressure on Bianca, but just couldn't stop herself. She took a deep, shuddery breath. "Please, Bianca. Don't give up on us. Just give me a chance."

Tears streamed down Bianca's cheeks as she looked down at Maggie, the other half her soul, broken and lost, just like she was. She reached out her hand, her thumb wiping away the teardrops on Maggie's face. "Come here," patting the spot next to her. "I'm not giving up on us. I never said I was going to. We've been through so much that I refuse to throw away what we have. I know you're hurting, because I am too, more than you can ever imagine."

"Talk to me, Bianca. Just tell me. I can take it, no matter how painful it is to hear," Maggie knew she was making a dangerous request, one that was liable to cut deeper than she expected, but in order to get past everything that happened, they needed to be open with each other.

"I need you to understand the pain I've been feeling in my heart all these weeks. And how I love you so much that it killed me every time I started imagining you with someone else," Bianca calmly explained, opening her shattered heart so Maggie could comprehend the depth of her hurt. "There were nights when I kept asking myself, 'Was it my fault? Why did you turn to someone else? What did I say? What didn't I say? What didn't I do?' Those questions kept circling around in my head."

Maggie bit down on her lip, not knowing how to reply. She simply listened as the tears filled her eyes once again. Her heart aching as she listened to every word. Her betrayal had left Bianca feeling broken.

"I thought by leaving Paris, I could leave you behind, too. That if I didn't have to see you, maybe I could put my imagination on hold and not have to imagine you in somebody else's arms," Bianca shook her head slightly. "Surprise, surprise. I couldn't get you out of my head. Whenever I was alone, I thought about you constantly."

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," Maggie took hold of Bianca's hand.

Bianca tried to smile, only succeeding halfway. "I know you are. I just had to get that out."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"We work at putting us, you and me, back together."

"How do we do that? Tell me, Bianca, because I'll do whatever you ask me to."

"Well… we go slowly. We can't just go back to the way things were. This isn't a band-aid fix."

"I know that, Bianca," Maggie retorted defensively. After a moment, she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You know, even if we spend the rest of our lives together, this is always going to be here, what I did to you. I think it kills me more than anything…"

Bianca attempted a gentle smile through her tears. "I know, sweetie."

A sob burst from Maggie's chest. "I'll never be able to apologize enough. I can't make it go away… I can't change what I did to you, to us. And I'm so afraid of losing you." She fell back against the couch, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"You're not going to lose me," Bianca assured. She slid close to Maggie, smoothing down her hair. "We just need to take this step by step, rebuild the trust we once had."

"Okay," Maggie nodded. Feeling somewhat hopeful, she figured her next request wasn't too much to ask for. "Bianca?"

"Yeah?"

"I've missed having you in my arms. Is it okay, if I hold you?"

Without any hesitation at all, Bianca shifted across the couch and rested her body against her girlfriend's. She smiled, embraced in her lover's arms again. It was something she dreamed of during their time apart, finding solace in Maggie's touch. "This feels good."

"Yeah, it does," Maggie smiled. She ran her fingers through Bianca's chestnut colored hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.

They would remain like that for the next hour, chatting mostly about Miranda and her little adventures in town. During the conversation, small bouts of silence set in, reminding them of the journey ahead, but knowing they had each other kept them reassured.

Maggie continued to stroke Bianca's hair, resting her cheek against her head. "You know, I'm glad you here with me right now. It really puts everything in perspective for me again, especially now that I finally kicked Cecelia out of my life."

Bianca's body stiffened, moving out of Maggie's arms. "Excuse me? _Finally_ kicked her out of your life?" She shook her head, leaning down to put on her shoes. "I should've known," muttering under her breath. "I should have known."

Maggie felt like a deer caught in headlights. She frantically tried to reach for Bianca, stop her from overreacting so she could explain. "Bianca, it's not what you're thinking."

"No, it's not?" the brunette turned around, an unmistakable anger evident in her eyes. She got up, grabbing her coat and purse. "What? Cecelia couldn't give you what you wanted so you came crawling back to me? God, Maggie, I'm not gullible."

"Bianca, no! You're not letting me explain," the blonde jumped up from the couch. She followed Bianca to the door, trying to block her way. "Please."

"I can't be here. I need to go."

"No, I'm not letting you."

"Maggie, get out of my way," Bianca clenched her teeth, tears threatening to fall. "Please, just let me go."

Not wanting this to escalate any further, Maggie willingly stepped aside. Bianca opened the door, shaking her head as she walked past Maggie into the hallway. She looked at her one last time before heading down the corridor.

Feeling defeated, Maggie watched as Bianca stepped into the elevator. They locked eyes for a moment, wondering how they were able to get so close only to have another rift tear them apart again.

"Bianca, I love you. Remember that," Maggie said, her final plea as she watched the doors close.

She headed back into her hotel room, slamming the door shut behind her, leaning against it as she slid down to the floor. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she curled up into a ball as sobs racked her small frame while trying not to fly into a million pieces.

The elevator doors opened in the Valley Inn lobby, Bianca rushed past some patrons, doing her best to keep her composure. She fumbled with her car keys, dropping them a couple of times while trying to get the door to open. Succeeding, she got inside and threw her purse onto the passenger side seat. Angrily falling back in her chair, she grabbed hold of the steering wheel so tight her knuckles turned white from lack of circulation. Finally letting all of her anger out, she took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, she began to cry, her heart still broken as it was before.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a petite woman was standing out in the hallway, privy to their loud exchange. Neither woman saw her standing there when the door opened, but she was there, watching Bianca storm out and Maggie being abandoned like a sinking ship at sea.

She approached Maggie's door, hearing the woman's small sobs coming from the other side. Compelled to offer some comfort, she held back. There was something she needed to do first before taking it upon herself to meddle in the girls' relationship.

Walking the opposite way, she knocked on another door, hoping he was there. "Josh? Josh? It's Erica, please open the door. I need a favor."

The door finally opened, Josh standing in front of her, wearing a confused look. "If you're here for some mother-son bonding, I'm really not in the mood."

Erica ignored his comment and entered the room. "Actually, that's not why I'm here. I came to give Jeff a piece of my mind and as I was leaving, I noticed Bianca was here too. It wasn't a pretty sight."

"Oh God, what the hell did that Maggie chick do now?"

"You, be quiet." Erica flipped open her cell phone and held it to her ear. "Kendall, it's Mom. It's about Bianca… and well, Maggie. I think I'm going to need your help."

_-end chapter-_


	7. Chapter 7

_Highway run  
Into the midnight sun  
Wheels go 'round and 'round  
You're on my mind  
Restless hearts  
Sleep alone tonight  
Sending all my love  
Along the wire_

_They say that the road_  
'_Ain't no place to start a family  
Right down the line  
It's been you and me  
Lovin' a music man  
Ain't all it's supposed to be  
Oh girl, you stand by me  
I'm forever yours  
Faithfully  
**-Faithfully,** Journey_

"Okay, on the count of three. You got it?" Zach whispered to Miranda as they kneeled at the foot of the bed. He held Spike in his arms and guided his niece to Kendall's bedside.

Miranda looked up at her uncle with a toothy grin. She nodded, waiting for him to give her the signal.

Situated by the bed, Zach grinned. "One… two… three!"

"Wake up!!!" Miranda squealed, followed by joyous giggle.

"Ahhh!" Kendall shot up, glancing left and right. "What the? Zach!"

Zach was still grinning. "What? The kids and I were just having some fun."

"Fun!" Miranda climbed onto Kendall's bed, crawling to her side and pressing a kiss to Kendall's cheek. "Goose Morning."

Kendall snaked her arms around her niece. "Good morning to you, too, angel." She looked up at Zach, "And you, too, my little man."

"And I'm chopped liver, huh?" Zach raised an eyebrow, turning to Spike. "You see how your mother treats me?"

"You come here," Kendall ordered.

Heeding his wife's words, Zach sat down at his wife's bedside. "Yes, honey?"

"I love you," she smiled, meeting his lips for a warm kiss.

"Now that's more like it," he smiled before standing once again. "Alright, are you ready Miranda?"

"Ready!"

Kendall's brow furrowed. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Out," Zach replied. "We're going to the park. Right, Miranda?"

"Park!" Miranda chirped.

Zach reached for Spike's snowsuit and carefully slipped him into it. Once the baby boy was bundled and warm, he handed him to Kendall for a moment while grabbing Miranda's winter coat and helping the child into it. Once she was zippered up, he went for his own gear and took Spike from Kendall's arms.

"Alright, we're all set," Zach bent down and kissed Kendall. "We'll be back in a bit."

"Okay,"

"Oh and Bianca's in the living room. It looks like things didn't go so well last night."

"Oh," Kendall bit down on her lip. She had hoped Bianca's talk with Maggie would produce a positive result. Judging from the concern in Zach's voice, she surmised things took a negative turn. "I'll handle it, thanks."

--

Maggie turned over in bed, feeling tears sting at her eyes again. She had cried herself to sleep the night before, her emotions having taken a fine beating. Reaching out with her hand, her fingers touched the cold linen, missing the presence of Bianca sleeping by her side, something she hadn't had the benefit of for the last two months. Tears suddenly streaming down her cheeks, she pulled the pillow into her arms, burying her face in its softness.

The ache in her heart was becoming more than she could bear.

Hearing a soft knock at the door, Maggie slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. She got out of bed and went to open it, finding the one person she least expected standing on the other side.

"Erica, please. I can't right now," Maggie sighed, ready to push the door closed only to have the petite woman stop her.

"Maggie," Erica raised her hand, stopping the door from closing. "I'm not here to yell. I'm here to talk. Most importantly, I'm here because I know you're in need of a sympathetic ear."

--

Bianca stood by the window and stared out at the snow-covered ground. She brought her cup to her lips and gently took a sip of tea. Sighing softly, she replayed the previous night in her mind over and over, particularly the moment she stormed out of Maggie's hotel room. The more she thought about it, the more it made her heart hurt, wondering how she and Maggie had gotten to this point. Once again, the pain and anger she felt the night before made itself present.

She began to wonder how long it was going to take before things were right between her and Maggie again.

Bianca walked toward the kitchen area and placed her cup in the sink. While heading back to the couch, Kendall emerged from the bedroom, stopping momentarily to make eye contact with her before proceeding.

Kendall followed her to the couch and sat down, placing a comforting hand on Bianca's knee. Without any hesitation, Bianca leaned over and sought comfort in her older sister's arms, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks.

After a few moments, Bianca pulled away, sitting up as she wiped the moisture from her face. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't mean to be such an emotional mess."

"It's okay," Kendall smoothed down Bianca's hair. "What did I tell you last night? If you needed me, I'd be here. Why didn't you wake me when you got in?"

Bianca leaned against the couch. "It was so late," she frowned. "You and Zach were already asleep, so I figured I'd get some sleep myself. I had hoped it would help me forget."

"What happened last night?"

"Cecelia happened."

"Don't tell me she showed up," Kendall retorted.

"No, she didn't," Bianca shook her head.

"Okay, so what happened?"

"I just don't know anymore."

--

Maggie stepped aside, letting Erica enter. She shut the door behind her, walking back over to the bed and straightening the comforter a bit. Hoping Erica wouldn't mind waiting, she stepped into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

Moments later, Maggie joined Erica on the couch. She sat silently at the opposite end, afraid to meet Erica's gaze, fearing the mother bear was really there to scold her rather than lending a sympathetic ear.

"I won't bite, Maggie. You can sit a little closer," Erica smiled reassuringly, patting the spot next to her.

Trusting Erica's words, Maggie moved from the end of the couch to the middle. She sat with her hands folded in her lap, her gaze focused on the floor. "Not to sound uncaring or cold, but why are you here, Erica?"

"Like I said before, it's because I know you're in need of a sympathetic ear," Erica placed her hand on top of Maggie's. "And though neither you or Bianca knew, but I was here last night I saw what happened."

"Oh…"

Erica pushed Maggie's chin up with her finger. "Look, I'm not here to yell at you or say that you're not right for my daughter, because in my heart, I know you've been the one for her all along. I'm here because I want to hear your side of the story."

Maggie went still, her heart stopping in her chest. "Oh God, Erica," she managed to choke out. "I can't. I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll hate me."

Erica sighed softly. "Maggie, I could never hate you."

"But I made a mistake."

"Oh honey, we all make mistakes. It's in our nature to."

Maggie looked away. "I don't think cheating on the person you love counts. You weren't there, Erica. That day in Paris when Bianca confronted me about what I'd done. I tried to explain, but she wouldn't hear me," taking a deep, shuddery breath, while fighting back tears, "She left our place only to come back having already made a decision on our relationship. We tried to reason things out, but there was never a resolution."

"Is that why you're here?" Erica asked. She sat next to Maggie, trying her best to make sense of everything. After having heard Bianca's side over Thanksgiving, she felt it was only fair to listen to Maggie, given it would further help to bring about some kind of solution to the couple's situation.

"I'm here because Bianca told me that when I was ready to come back to her, she'd be in Pine Valley waiting for me," Maggie replied. Her voice would falter upon recalling the events from the previous night. "But now, I think I may have made matters worse with something I said."

"Well, I cleared my schedule for the day, so I'm all yours. Talk to me, Maggie. I know my being here intimidates you, but you have no need to feel that way. Whatever you tell me will stay between the two of us," Erica assured the younger woman sitting before her. "I just want to see my daughter smiling again and I'll do what it takes to see her happy."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, a bit taken aback by Erica's kindness. Albeit, intimidation felt natural when privy to the Kane woman's presence, given her track record with disapproval over Bianca's choice in romantic partners. But after taking one look into the older woman's eyes, Maggie felt somewhat relieved, yet not quite sure why.

"I don't know where to start."

"I know what Bianca has told me, but tell me your side. And start from wherever you feel comfortable."

--

"What don't you know?" Kendall asked.

Bianca brought a hand to her forehead, momentarily closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. "It's hard to explain. Maggie and I, we got so close last night and then…"

"Then what, Bianca?"

"She mentioned Cecelia."

"Yeah, you said that already, but you're not explaining anything to me."

"Maggie said last night put things into perspective for her. Especially now that she _finally_ kicked Cecelia out of her life," Bianca said annoyingly, with emphasis on the word, 'finally'.

Kendall stared at the younger woman with bewildered eyes. Apparently, she didn't know her younger sister as well as she thought. "I don't get it. I mean, perspective is a good thing. It means she knows what she wants," she said, trying to grasp the context of Bianca's words. "And she said Cecelia wasn't a part of her life anymore."

Bianca sighed exasperatedly. "Kendall, you're missing the point. She said finally. What does that tell you?"

"Oh," Kendall's brow furrowed. "Well, did you let her give you an explanation?"

"What is there to explain? It's obvious she kept sleeping with her after I left Paris," Bianca replied. The scowl on her face spoke volumes as she tried not to let her imagination take over her emotions. "You weren't there. The way she said it," she attempted to get up from the couch.

Seeing how the younger brunette was getting all worked up, Kendall prevented Bianca from standing, taking hold of her hands. "Bianca, calm down. Just talk to me, I can see you're upset but you're not telling me anything about last night."

"Fine, you want to know about last night? Last night…" Bianca paused, a sad smile formed on her lips. "Last night was wonderful, Kendall. She apologized and told me she loved me. We agreed to work things out. It got a point where it was almost perfect. She held me in her arms and I swear, it felt like things were normal again."

"So, the both of you still love each other."

"Yeah, we do."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Cecelia."

"But Maggie said it herself, Cecelia is no longer a part of her life," Kendall stated, reiterating Bianca's words from before. Once again, Bianca tried to move off the couch, "Binks, what's really wrong?"

Pulling her hands away, Bianca stood and walked toward the window. She stared out at the fallen snow for a few seconds before finally replying. "I love her. God, Kendall. I love her with all my heart but a part of me still wonders… you know what, just forget it."

Kendall watched Bianca from her vantage point on the couch. Sensing the hurt in her baby sister's voice, she knew what Bianca was going to say next. "Go ahead, Bianca you can say it."

"I can't,"

"You're afraid to trust her. A part of you doesn't know if you can."

--

"I love your daughter with all of my heart, Erica. I never meant to hurt her," Maggie said with sincerity as she curled up at the opposite end of the couch. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she rested her chin on her knees. "But I did and I'm doing my best to get her to trust me again."

Erica nodded, taking in the younger woman's words. Hiding a soft sigh, she realized this discussion wasn't going to be an easy task. In fact, it was definitely complicated but being the determined woman she was, Erica vowed to do anything and everything to bring Bianca and Maggie back together.

"Maggie, I'd like to ask you a question."

"Um, okay."

"I'd like for you to define what love is. In your own words."

"Love?" Maggie nervously swiped some hair behind her ear with her finger. Relaxing against the cushions, she sat silently for a moment, pondering the best words for her reply. "Love is a complicated thing to define. I mean loving someone… it makes you feel like you can say yes to the world. And not just because you can, but--" she smiled slightly. "But because you really don't have a choice. It's when you know you can do anything. You can try anything."

Erica smiled, nodding in agreement with everything the younger woman was saying. "It's exhilarating, in a way."

"Yeah, it is. Love is letting someone in, you know, so much that they become a part of you. And it's natural to let someone in because you suddenly realize that person has always been there all along. You can always feel their touch and hear their voice and see that crazy smile that lights up your day." Maggie looked away for a moment, unexpectedly overwhelmed by her own words. Keeping her composure, she brought her attention back to Erica. "Sometimes, it's like you can't stop saying "yes" and "more please." You know, it's like you can't get enough of them and life and everything."

"It certainly is nothing like you've ever felt before," Erica replied. While listening to Maggie's definition of love, she found herself thinking about Jack and everything they'd shared together. "I found it with Jack."

Maggie ruefully smiled. "And I found it with Bianca. At the risk of sounding like a romantic puppy, loving her… it completes me," earning a small laugh from Erica. "But, loving someone makes you feel like you can say, "I love you" knowing they might not say it back nor do you know what comes next. And that's the greatest part of it all. It's taking a risk. That's what love is to me."

Erica sat speechless, unsure of what to say. She was amazed at the in depth explanation Maggie gave her on love. And it only dawned on her now that young woman seated on the couch with her was in love with Bianca, heart and soul. "Maggie, I don't know what to say. What you've just told me…it's…"

"I know, something you'd never expect coming from me. I admit it, I'm a science geek, but when it comes to loving your daughter, she's has my heart and always will."

"Well, I've known all along that you love Bianca. And hearing everything you said only affirms my belief that the two of you can work things out." Erica spoke reassuringly. She noticed the hopeful look on Maggie's face disappear, replaced by a downcast gaze. "Have you told her this?"

"Many times," came a disappointed reply.

Erica pushed the blonde's chin up with her hand. "No Maggie, I mean have you told her this, the exact same way you told me."

Maggie was silent for a moment as the realization struck her. "No," she breathed. "No, I haven't."

"You should, because I know it's something Bianca has desperately wanted to hear."

"But I hurt her. Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Erica spoke confidently. She patted the spot next to her. "Why don't you come closer, Maggie. Maybe I can help you understand my daughter a little better and possibly make sense of what's happened with your relationship."

--

"You can say it, Bianca."

"I can't."

"You're afraid to trust her. A part of you doesn't know if you can." Kendall got up from the couch and approached Bianca. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she turned the younger brunette around, her heart breaking when she saw the forlorn look on Bianca's face.

"I do trust her, Kendall. I _want_ to trust her," speaking the words convincingly. It was almost as if Bianca was trying to force herself to believe what she was saying.

"Then what's stopping you? What is it that's holding you back?" Kendall grew concerned. As each second passed by, Bianca became more and more upset, which made it harder to find out what exactly had her sister so bothered.

Bianca sighed, putting a hand to her forehead in frustration, then sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't know… I guess I just thought I'd never have to question my trust in her."

Now Kendall was frustrated. It seemed like they were going around in circles, Bianca not once giving her a complete answer. "You keep saying the same thing over and over. You don't know what, Binks? What is it? Because I can tell this goes beyond trusting Maggie." She paused for a moment, recalling something she had heard a few weeks ago. "Josh and I were talking in Fusion one day and he mentioned something to me. He said you told him that if Maggie were to ever walk through the door, you'd take her back. All would be forgiven, just like that. What's changed?"

"I…"

"Bianca, not to sound blunt, but why are you being such a hard-ass? Maggie is here. She's practically begging for your forgiveness. What is the problem?"

"Excuse me?" Bianca stepped back, eyes wide at what the curly haired woman had just said. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard me. I called you a hard-ass." Kendall retorted.

Somewhat insulted by her sister's comment, Bianca moved around her and headed toward the couch. She attempted to grab her coat and purse but was stopped by Kendall, who immediately took them out of her hands. "What are you doing?"

"I'm stopping you," yanking Bianca's coat away and tossing it across the room, "from running. You're not going anywhere until I talk some sense into you. Now listen to me. Last year, you helped me when I thought no one else could. It's my turn to do the same for you." Kendall sat down on the couch, pulling Bianca along with her. "Alright. Talk. Get mad, whatever. Say what's on your mind. I want you to let it all out. And maybe you'll feel better afterwards."

Bianca was silent for a moment, the frustration beginning to bubble up inside her. "For once, can't I have a relationship without any complications? After everything I've been through, I just want happiness. Perfection. A love that will last forever and I thought I had that with Maggie. I guess I was wrong," her aggravation now hitting an all time high. "Every relationship I've had, it fell apart, never worked. Is there something wrong with me? Why can't I have what _I_ _want _for once in my life?!"

Kendall stared at Bianca for a moment, shocked by her tirade, then burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Bianca demanded.

"Oh Binks," Kendall stammered, still laughing at Bianca's outburst. "No relationship is perfect. Imagine how boring that would be." At Bianca's dark look, Kendall became serious. "First off, there's nothing wrong with you. Those relationships didn't work because they weren't supposed to. And Maggie loves you, isn't that what you wanted? Doesn't she count as having what you wanted once in your life?" Kendall sighed. "Bianca, happiness is what you make of it. If you and Maggie love each other, it will last forever. It'll be enough. But if you keep putting unrealistic expectations on your relationship, you'll succeed in driving her away forever."

"What do you mean? Are you saying it's all my fault?! She's the one who slept with that bitch, Cecelia!"

"You need to stop being a brat, Bianca!" Kendall shouted at her baby sister. "Do you love Maggie?" Silence. "Do you!?"

"Yes," the brunette timidly replied.

"Then I highly suggest you pull your head out of your butt and work at a reconciliation," Kendall's voice remained serious. "If you think you're sad now, just wait until you lose Maggie for good. And if that happens, don't come crying to me for sympathy."

Bianca's gaze narrowed. "Exactly whose side are you on here? Mine or Maggie's?"

"Nobody's, okay!" the curly haired woman sniped back. While she was a bit surprised at how bratty Bianca was acting, it only further annoyed her when she was asked to take sides. "I am not siding with you or Maggie. Because as pissed as I am for what she did, with the way you're acting right now, maybe you deserved to be cheated on."

"Oh God, you _are_ on her side!" Bianca gasped.

"No, just stop. Stop it!" Kendall shook her head profusely. Any and all patience she had for Bianca went completely out the window. Her original intention of having a heart to heart with the younger woman was forgotten. She sat silently for a few moments, comprehending everything they'd just said. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be yelling at you, but come on Binks, you're making this that much harder on yourself and Maggie. I'm not siding with either of you. All I want is to see my baby sister happy. And honestly, out of all the girls you've dated, it's Maggie that does that for you."

Bianca looked away, her gaze falling to the floor. She chose not to say anything and simply listen to what Kendall was telling her. As much as she hated to admit it, her older sister had a point to some extent.

Kendall calmly moved closer to Bianca, lifting her chin with her hand. With her thumb, she swiped away the tear that streamed down Bianca's face. "When Michael tried to get his filthy hands on your again, who faced off against him at the Valley Inn? When you didn't go through with the abortion, who was the one willing to give up their life and leave the country with you, so you could keep your pregnancy a secret?" she paused, waiting for Bianca's response. "It was Maggie. A long time ago, you told me she was your rock, the one person you could count on no matter what. And I can tell, she still is, regardless of whatever hurt you're feeling right now."

"But Kendall…"

"Bianca, Maggie has practically walked through fire just to be with you. Denial, confusion, admission, rejection and abuse, not that the abuse from Jonathan was your fault… because that's a whole other issue." Kendall was suddenly overwhelmed. She herself only realizing now the lengths Maggie had gone because she loved Bianca so much. "If you ask me, Maggie pretty much gave up everything to be with you. She left this town with nothing but a passport and the clothes on her back. And now, she's here, repenting for her mistake. It's hard for someone to admit they're wrong, you know. You're talking to someone with firsthand experience. But like I said before, Maggie flew across the ocean, possibly broke her piggybank to pay for the plane ticket because she loves you that much, if not more. Take her back, Binks and work it out. In life, there are times when you'll only have one chance at something. With Maggie, you've gotten more than your fair share. This is your chance. Grab a hold of it now before you lose her."

Bianca continued to let the words sink in. Every single word resonated deep inside of her. As Kendall verbally listed almost everything Maggie had done, she fought back the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.

"Kendall…" Bianca took a shuddery breath. "What if I've lost her already?"

"You haven't. Not yet," pulling Bianca into a warm, comforting embrace. When they pulled away after a few seconds, she swept aside some wayward strands of chestnut colored hair. "I have to head to Fusion for a bit to meet with a new distributor. Will you be okay if I leave you alone for a little while?"

Bianca wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I, uh… I just need some time to think."

"Zach has the kids, but you knew that already," Kendall got up from the couch and grabbed her coat. "He'll probably end up taking them to Myrtle's, so he can have his afternoon tea with her. If you feel like venturing out, finding them there would be your best bet."

"Okay."

With her purse and car keys in her hand, Kendall walked to the door. Before opening it, she turned toward the couch. "Bianca?"

"Yeah?" Bianca looked up at her.

"Maggie loves you. Remember that."

"I will."

--

Erica smoothed down Maggie's hair with her hand. "When Bianca falls in love with someone, she opens her heart to them. I'm sure you know that already."

"Yeah, I do," Maggie's voice cracked as she replied.

"And she lets them in completely, which is what makes her different from Kendall and me."

"Yeah."

"Bianca, she…" Erica paused, smiling as she thought of her daughter. "She always tries to find the best in everyone. It doesn't matter who that person is, she'll manage to find the one little detail that makes them appealing, someone worth knowing."

Maggie gave Erica a lopsided smile. "It's why everyone loves her so much, because of her compassion. Bianca is unique in her own way and it's one of the reasons why I love her." Leaning against the cushions, she sighed softly. "But now, I think I've lost her for good. I hurt her and I didn't mean to. It's just…"

"What is it, Maggie?" Erica asked.

"Nothing," Maggie held back her reply. Initially, she was going to offer up her side of what happened in Paris, but she surmised it was better not to. Instead, she decided to go about things with a different approach. "Erica, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"What do you when you're in a relationship where one person is ready to settle and the other person is content with the way things are?" Maggie tried to mask the nervousness on her face. "Meaning, the person still loves that other person, but doesn't quite understand the hurry to… well, settle down."

Erica gave Maggie a gentle smile. "Now Maggie, you know I'm not the best person to answer this question."

Maggie smiled in spite of herself. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But what do I do?"

"I can't answer that for you, Maggie. You have to make that decision on your own."

"I know."

"Do you love Bianca?"

"Yes, I do," Maggie spoke the words with conviction.

Erica shook her head slightly. "You're not thinking about what you're saying when you answer my question. Maggie, do you love my daughter?"

Biting down on her lip, Maggie thought long and hard about her response. It was only then that she realized simply saying the words wasn't the same as meaning them. For so long, she had spouted the words, 'I love you' because it was natural. And when she and Bianca had made the decision to take the step into a relationship, they took on an even greater meaning. The realization began to dawn on Maggie that perhaps saying the words wasn't enough anymore.

As harsh as it sounded and felt, Bianca and her were on completely different pages in their relationship.

Tears welled up in Maggie's eyes as she pondered the notion. Her heart ached at the thought and although she didn't want to voice it out loud, she knew deep inside what needed to happen next. It all made sense now.

Erica took Maggie's hand, reaching up to wipe away the tears with the other. "Maggie, my daughter opened her heart to you. She let you in and despite all the obstacles the both of you encountered along the way, she never stopped loving you," gently running her fingers through the blonde's hair. "You brought her back from the edge when no one else could. You helped keep her world from caving in. And when she told me what had happened in Paris, the hurt I saw in her eyes, I wanted so badly to take it all way. But I couldn't. There is only one person who can do that and it's you."

Maggie rubbed her eyes with her hand. "I'm so sorry for what I did. I wish I could take it back."

"It's something we all wish. And while we can't, what we can do is make the effort to rectify things. Own up to our mistakes."

"Yeah."

"Bianca's endured a lot in her life. She was forced to grow up a lot sooner than anticipated and took on a lot more than expected," Erica explained, in hopes her words Maggie were taking them into consideration. "Not once has she ever given up. She's a fighter and I know she'd never give up on you or your relationship."

"I'd never give up on Bianca. She and Miranda, they're my home," Maggie spoke softly.

"And you're hers. Understand that you are it for her, she wants to spend the rest of her life with you," Erica replied, looking into Maggie's eyes with sincerity. "It has nothing to do with being in a hurry to settle down. What Bianca is doing is giving you her heart forever with hopes that you'll do the same for her. "

Maggie nodded. "Thank you, Erica. You've helped me understand Bianca a whole lot better now."

"As a mother, when I see my children hurting, I want to do anything I can to take it all away, no matter how old they are. There will always be something a parent can't fix and the situation you and Bianca are in, neither Kendall or I can fix. We can only help by listening."

"I know. Thanks."

Erica stood up, grabbing her purse and coat. "I should get going. You look like you could use some time to yourself." After slipping on her coat, she walked toward the door, Maggie following close behind. Before opening it, she turned around and wrapped her arms around the younger woman, embracing her in a reassuring hug. "Think about what I've said and do what you feel is right for the relationship," she whispered into Maggie's ear. "Bianca loves you just much, if not more and she'll never give up on you."

Maggie pulled away, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes again. "Thank you."

Closing the door, Maggie turned around and leaned against it. She sighed softly, obviously affected by her talk with Erica. A little while later, after a hot shower and a change of clothes, she sat in the middle of the newly made bed with her cell phone at her side. Maggie stared at it, sitting there in deep thought. Every so often, she had the urge to pick it up but didn't, her indecisiveness getting the better of her.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Maggie took hold of her phone and flipped it open. Dialing the numbers with her thumb, she then pressed the phone to her ear and waited for an answer on the other end.

"Hi, it's me. I was wondering if we could talk."

--

The elevator doors to Fusion opened, a petite woman stepping out and making herself known with the clicking of her stiletto heels. She approached the table and dropped her purse on it, meeting eyes with the curly haired woman before her.

"How is Bianca?" Erica asked.

Kendall closed the file she was holding and placed it on the table. "A mess. And what about Maggie?"

"The same. But I gave her something to think about."

"Well, I did the same for Bianca. So what do we do now?"

Erica shrugged her shoulders. "We wait and we hope. It's pretty much all that can be done at this point."

Kendall walked around the table and leaned against its edge. "I hope this turns out for the best, because to be honest, Bianca and Maggie are lost without each other."

"Well, I have one more idea up my sleeve," Erica smiled, winking at her oldest daughter. "And I'm going to need your help."

"As long as it gets them together, sure. Tell me what I need to do."

_-end chapter-_


	8. Chapter 8

_I'm not a perfect person  
There's many things I wish I didn't do  
But I continue learning  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know_

I found a reason for me  
To change how I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you  
**-The Reason**, Hoobastank

Erica entered the living room, carrying a tray with two cups of hot tea. Setting it down on the table, she handed one to Kendall and then took the other one into her hand. After taking a tentative sip, she smiled slightly at her eldest daughter. "So, is everything a go?"

"Yes," Kendall nodded. "Bianca thinks she's meeting me at the boathouse in an hour. What about Maggie?"

"I told her I was at the park with Miranda and needed to leave for an emergency production meeting. So, she also thinks I'm meeting her at the boathouse in an hour."

"Well then, is it safe to say, mission accomplished?"

Erica shrugged her shoulders. "For now, I'm guessing."

They spent the next few minutes sipping their tea, going back and forth with small talk about Spike and Miranda. Every now and then, they'd laugh as Kendall regaled Erica with the joys of motherhood.

Erica took one last sip of tea before placing the near empty cup on the table. "Kendall, do you mind me asking what you told Bianca?"

"I told her, plain and simple to stop being a brat and forgive Maggie," earning a befuddled look from Erica. "What? I told Bianca to take Maggie back before she loses her forever." Not receiving the reply she was expecting, Kendall became concerned. "Mother, I know that look. What did you tell Maggie?"

"She and I had a long talk about what love is. And then I told her to think about what it means when she says 'I love you' to Bianca. I urged her to reflect on what has happened in their relationship and…" Erica's voice trailed. Her gaze fell slightly, realizing the plan to bring the girls back together may have just backfired. "Oh, Kendall…"

"What? What?"

"Instead of helping them, I think we only made matters worse."

--

The snow crunched under her feet as she approached her destination. Sitting down on the cement bench, she wrapped her arms around her body and stared at the headstone in front of her. A tear escaped from her eye as she tried to smile while heaving a deep sigh.

"Hi Grandma," she whispered, reaching forward to run her fingers along the weathered surface.

--

Maggie walked about her room, grabbing the loose articles of clothing laying around and folding them with her free hand while simultaneously talking on the phone. "Okay. Okay. Thanks… yeah, I owe you one. No, really. I'm going to repay you somehow," she said, packing her blouse into the corner of her suitcase. "Yeah, I know what I need to do. Uh huh, okay. I'll see you when I get back," swallowing the lump in her throat. "You, too."

She pushed her phone into her pocket and turned around. Glancing at the clock, she grabbed her coat and room key. Taking a deep breath, she walked out the door with the intention of making the best of her afternoon with Miranda.

--

"I know I haven't been by here in a long while and I'm sorry about that," Bianca spoke. A slight winter breeze blew around her as she kept her eyes on Mona's headstone. "I know you understand why it was hard for me to visit you last time, then again, when have you not been understanding?" pausing to gather her thoughts. "Miranda's growing up fast, you know. And she definitely takes after Mom. Your letter was right, my little girl would be exactly like her and in some ways she is. Although, there are moments when I see traits of Kendall in her, too. I happen to think she's a mix of all of us, even you Grandma."

Bianca swept a lock of dark brown hair behind her ear, unsure of whether or not she would be able to voice her thoughts out loud. Courage had always been one of her best qualities but at the present moment, she felt somewhat afraid, knowing that if she did say the words out loud, it would be real.

"I guess you're probably wondering why I'm here talking to you right now. You could always tell when something was bothering me," Bianca laughed softly. "You knew me so well, so maybe what I'm about to tell you won't really be surprising. I, um… I had always thought that I inherited your temperament, the patience and unconditional acceptance. It's not that I don't doubt that right now, because I'm still the same," she said, speaking as though she were trying to convince Mona if they were sitting next to each other at the present moment in time.

"But now, after being in a relationship with Maggie, I've come to realize that I'm just like Mom and Kendall. And I don't know why I'm saying this, but it scares me a bit." Another tear streamed down her cheek, her hand quickly swiping the moisture away. "You probably know by now what's going on. Myrtle did always say you were looking down on all of us," she stopped again then finally voiced her fears out loud. "What if I've ruined my relationship with Maggie? All because I wanted security, something to hold onto, I think I might have lost her."

The breeze blew softly again, only this time it felt slightly warmer than before causing Bianca to take note of it. For a brief moment, she felt a presence around her, wondering if it was a sign from her grandmother, telling her it was okay to be scared. Smiling slightly, she ran her hand along the headstone again.

"I love her so much, you know. She's everything to me and if I ever lost her, I…" voice trembling a little, "I just want to be happy and I'm the most happy with her." Bianca took a deep breath and stood up. "I guess I know what I need to do. I need Maggie in my life and I'll do whatever it takes work things out with her."

--

_**I'm sorry that I hurt you. It's something I must live with everyday. And all the pain I put you through, I wish that I could take it all away. And be the one who catches all your tears. That's why I need you to hear.**_

_**I found a reason for me. To change how I used to be. A reason to start over new, and the reason is you.**_

Maggie sat at the boathouse and checked her watch again. She was beginning to wonder if Erica was running late or maybe she'd misheard her and meant to meet at another spot in the park. Just as she was about to reach for her cell phone, she heard footsteps in the near distance, surmising Erica was on her way with Miranda.

Bianca rushed up the boathouse steps, out of breath. "Kendall, sorry I'm… Maggie…"

The blonde looked up and met her estranged lover's gaze. "I'm uh… I was supposed to meet your mother here. She said something about an emergency production meeting and needed someone to stay with Miranda."

"Miranda's with my mother right now. Kendall said she wanted to…" the realization dawned on Bianca. "I think we've been set up."

"Yeah, I think so, too," Maggie stood, biting down on her bottom lip. She walked toward the opposite end of the boathouse, turning her back to Bianca. Standing there, she inhaled slowly, trying not to let her emotions take over as the memory of the other night came rushing back to her.

Bianca walked over to Maggie, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Maggie, I…"

"Don't," the blonde kept her head down as she replied.

"Don't what?" the brunette asked.

"Don't apologize. It's all we've been doing lately and honestly, it's gotten us nowhere," Maggie shifted her body around, the hurt look on her face speaking volumes. Moisture pooled in the corners of her eyes, making every attempt to keep the tears from breaking free. "I just want to have my chance to say something for once. Is that okay with you?"

Bianca sat down on the bench, nodding her head. "Okay."

Maggie moved from her spot and sat on the wooden floor, her legs dangling over the edge, feet right just above the surface of the frozen lake. She looked down for a moment, taking this time to pull her thoughts together.

"You never gave me a chance to explain," Maggie began. Her shaky voice was filled with vulnerability. "All you've done is write me off, not once letting me get my own feelings out."

"Maggie-"

"No, this is my chance to talk. Please, Bianca, for once just hear me out."

Bianca agreed, keeping her eyes on Maggie who was seated on the floor and was now leaning against one of the wooden posts. Every fiber of her being wanted to simply reach out and pull the other woman into her arms, but she knew she couldn't… at least, not yet. For both their sakes, she remained quiet and gave Maggie her full attention, hoping that in the end, things would turn out for the better.

"Sometimes, I just wonder how much different my life would have been had I not skipped this town and moved to Paris with you." Chuckling under her breath, she was brought to one immediate thought. "Part of me thinks I probably would have ended up dead, considering the rampage Jonathan went on."

"Maggie, don't say that," Bianca was quick to speak, reminded of the horrific events of 2005.

Maggie turned her head, shrugging her shoulders indifferently. "Why shouldn't I? It's the God's honest truth," she said coldly. "It was only a matter of time until I'd find out about everything and the lunatic that he was."

"Maggie, I love you."

"No, don't say that. Don't say those three words right now."

"What? You've stopped loving me, now?"

"And there you go assuming again."

There was a sudden silence between them, both women realizing how even when they tried to have a decent conversation, it led them to disagree once again. Bianca and Maggie looked at each other for a long moment, their hurt and confusion all bundled in their facial expressions.

Bianca pressed a hand to her forehead. "What's happened to us?"

Maggie's head was down, her eyes closed, wanting to answer Bianca's question. Instead, she avoided it. "When I said that I finally kicked Cecelia out of my life, I didn't say she'd been a part of it after you left Paris. Since the day you walked out on me, on us, I spent every moment at home and whenever I wasn't at home, I was in class. Not once did I see Cecelia. The only time I saw her was the day I was leaving to fly here. She came by our place, wanting to apologize," Maggie explained. "I told her to get out of my life once and for all."

"And is she going to honor this final request?" Bianca asked.

Maggie chose not to reply the brunette's question, knowing full well the answer would make itself known in so many words soon enough. She pulled her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms tightly around them. "Every waking minute, I was thinking about you. Where did we go wrong? That question kept circling in my head."

"I don't know where we went wrong," Bianca's reply came as a low whisper.

"I wish I knew. During those moments when I was able to take my mind off of you, I drowned myself in class, but it didn't do me any good. I didn't have the one person I counted on to give me a confidence boost whenever I needed one."

"Maggie, you've never needed me for that. You know full well that you're capable of achieving anything."

The blonde shook her head. "You don't get it. I need you. I've always needed you." She sighed, a shuddery breath threatening to turn into a sob. "I need you because you're the one who makes me matter. You make me feel like I mean something in this crazy world," looking towards the frozen lake. "You're the one who didn't need me."

Bianca quickly moved off the bench, sitting down at the edge next to Maggie. "What do you mean, by that?" her brow wrinkled, wondering where that assumption came from. "For the past year and a half, you and I built a life together."

"Yeah, a life that I managed to wreck."

"Maggie, stop. We can fix this."

"No, I get it now, you were right. We can't go back to the way things were. We can't slap a band-aid on our relationship and hope it gets better," Maggie turned her head, Bianca's pain filled eyes staring back at her. "Somewhere along the way, we lost touch on what it means to love one another. And if we're going to attempt to salvage what's left, I think that's what we need to work on the most."

Bianca reached for Maggie's hand, holding her gaze. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Maggie's voice cracked. She felt a tear stream down her cheek. "I love you so much, it hurts. And maybe, spending some time apart is the best thing for both of us."

Speechless, Bianca sat back, the breath knocked out of her lungs. This was certainly not what she expected to hear. "Oh," she managed to squeak out. "Time apart? But what do you call the last two months?" Completely confused and blindsided, to say the least.

"The last two months was us running from our problems, avoiding what went wrong in our relationship."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I'm not talking about not seeing each other again, Bianca," Maggie whispered, her grip on Bianca's hands tightening as she pulled her closer, letting the brunette rest her head on her shoulder. Wrapping an arm around her, she reached up and brushed her hand through Bianca's soft hair. "I could never let you go. But we never had the chance to be two people after we moved to Paris. We became a couple so quick that we never got the chance to be just Bianca and just Maggie. I think in order for us to be stronger together, being apart is the best thing right now."

Bianca buried herself in Maggie's embrace, relishing it for every bit it was worth. She let the tears fall from her eyes. "If it's the best thing, then why does it hurt so much, right now?"

"Because we're not the same two people anymore. We've changed and we've grown," Maggie held Bianca in her arms, her cheek resting against Bianca's head. She gazed out at the sun setting along the horizon. "It also hurts because we thought that nothing could come between us and something did. Now, instead of giving up, we're going to work at this. And in time, I have every faith that our love will be that much stronger, if not more than before."

"Maggie?"

"Yeah?"

"I just need to know one thing." Bianca was almost hesitant to ask, but for her own good, it was something she needed to do.

Maggie already knew what Bianca was going to say. Without letting her pose the question, she quickly replied. "Cecelia is out of my life…our lives for good. She's transferred to another program, one that distances her from me in every possible way. I assure you of that."

"I trust you."

They sat silently for the next few moments, watching as the sun disappeared, giving way to the early night sky. Maggie continued to hold onto Bianca, not once letting her embrace on her loosen. Feeling a lump form in her throat, she took a deep breath and hoped Bianca would understand what she was about to say next.

"I'm leaving for Paris tomorrow," whispering the words softly.

Bianca's breath suddenly caught in her throat. "Already?"

"Baby, there's nothing left for me here, except for you and Miranda. And if we're going to spend time apart, then it's best I head back to Paris."

"I understand. Do you need me to call the Cambias pilot?"

Maggie shook her head. "No, it's okay. Anna took care of my plane ticket. She's also letting me stay with her for the meantime."

"You're moving out?"

"I want to do this right, Bianca. We need to start over somehow and I think my staying with Anna for a little while is the first step.

Bianca sighed, wanting to fight Maggie on this but she knew deep down it as for the best. If they were going make the effort to rebuild their relationship, she'd do whatever was needed. "You'll say goodbye to Miranda, right?"

"Of course I will," Maggie smiled. "I'd never leave without saying goodbye to the munchkin."

Shifting slightly, Bianca lifted her head and looked into Maggie's deep brown eyes. Inches away from her face, she leaned forward, meeting her lips for a sweet, meaningful kiss. And like the one they shared in the hotel room at the Valley Inn, neither of them fought it and simply reveled in the moment.

Bianca pulled away first, foreheads rested against one another, her hand brushing against Maggie's cheek. "I will _never_ stop loving you," she achingly whispered. "Never."

--

Kendall and Erica stood by the doorway of the living room and looked on. One would describe the look on their faces as mortified, silently berating themselves for ruining such a good thing. Yes, this would be the last time Kendall and Erica would team up for the greater good of fixing a relationship.

"We messed up," Kendall muttered.

"Yeah, I'd say so," Erica agreed.

"But, they look kinda… happy, though."

"Weird."

Kendall tilted her head slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Double weird. Hmm, well maybe we did do something good and we just haven't realized it yet."

"Maybe," Erica said, leaving Kendall's side so she could say goodbye to Maggie.

"Yes, I will give Anna your regards," Maggie looked up at Jack and smiled.

Jack returned the gesture, giving her a hug. "Good. And tell her that if she ever wants to come back to town, there will always be a job waiting for her here."

Maggie laughed, "Okay. I will. But I'm not sure she'll jump at it." She felt someone tap her shoulder and turned around. Before she could say anything, Erica wrapped her arms around her. "Um… I don't know what there is to say, except, thank you."

"Anytime you need to talk, don't hesitate to call," Erica spoke softly into her ear.

Maggie held back a small chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind." She let go of Erica and watched Kendall step forward. "So, um." She wasn't quite sure what to say. Suddenly, she was pulled into the skinny woman's arms. "Ooookay."

"I'm sorry for ripping into you. Just know that I did it out of love," Kendall said with the utmost sincerity.

Pulling away, Maggie watched as Kendall, Erica and Jack stepped aside. Bianca and Miranda coming forward, the little girl immediately rushing into her arms. Maggie scooped the child up off the ground and kissed her forehead.

"This isn't goodbye, okay?" she said, fighting back tears. "I want you to remember what we talked about last night."

Miranda cupped Maggie's face with her hands, using her thumbs to turn up the corners of her mouth. "No cry, Maggie. Maggie, no go bye-bye." She sloppily kissed the blonde on the cheek. "I wub you lots."

"I love you, too, Munchie," Maggie whispered. She brushed aside a stray wisp of light brown hair from the child's face. "Be good for your Mommy, okay?"

"Otay, Maggie."

"And I'll see you soon," kissing her on the forehead one last time before handing her over to Kendall. She picked her up bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder and looked toward Bianca. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Bianca grabbed her purse and walked toward the door. Opening it, she followed Maggie out and accompanied her into the car that would take them to the airport.

Inside the house, Kendall stood by the window with Miranda, the both of them watching as the car pulled away. Miranda wrapped her tiny arms around Kendall's neck, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Maggie go bye bye," Miranda said wistfully, a single tear streaming down her cheek.

--

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. American Airlines, Flight 283 with non-stop service to Paris, France will be boarding shortly at Gate 3."

Maggie turned to Bianca, noticing the sad smile on her face. "I uh… I guess this is it."

"Yeah," Bianca's voice cracked. She rubbed her eyes, her emotions beginning to get the better of her. She felt a warm hand on her cheek, placing her own palm on top of it. "I'm just… I'm going to miss you, so much."

Maggie dropped her bag and cupped Bianca's face with her hands. "And I'm going to miss you, too. But you need to trust me. This is the best thing for the both of us."

"I know."

A muffled voice came on the loudspeaker. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to American Airlines, Flight 283 with non-stop service to Paris, France. A this time, we shall now begin boarding passengers seated in Zone 6."

Maggie pulled out her boarding pass, checking to see if she was in the corresponding zone. Looking up at Bianca, she was now the one wearing a sad smile. "I should go," reaching down to grab the strap of her bag.

Before she was able to slip it over her shoulder, Bianca took hold of her hands.

They stared at each other for a long moment, no longer able to hide their emotions. Without thought, they leaned forward simultaneously, their lips pressed together for one more kiss before parting ways. And although they both knew it wasn't going to be their last, just being able to have this one moment was enough to re-instill their faith in one another. That someday soon, they would be together again.

"We are now boarding passengers for Zones 5 & 6."

Maggie reluctantly pulled away, slipping the strap of her bag over her shoulder. She gazed lovingly into Bianca's eyes. "When you're ready to come back to Paris, I'll be there, waiting for you. We're going to work this out."

Bianca held onto Maggie's hand, bringing it to her lips. "I'm not giving up on you or on us."

With a gentle smile, Maggie brushed her fingers against Bianca's cheek. "And you'll never lose me, I promise."

--

Bianca stood by the window, staring out at the dark night. Arriving back at the house only an hour ago, she found herself unable to move from her spot. Her eyes were drawn toward the night sky, gazing up at the stars that were visible.

Part of her knew this was for the best, but she couldn't help but feel an ache in her heart. Feeling a tug of her blouse, she looked down and found Miranda standing by her side.

The little girl held her arms out, yearning to be picked up. Her request immediately fulfilled, she draped an arm over her mother's shoulder, resting her head there. "Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" Bianca held Miranda in her arms, the both of them now staring out the window.

"Wanna go home, Mommy. Wanna go home," Miranda pleaded, hoping her mother would grant her this one wish.

"Listen to your daughter, Binks," Kendall spoke up, standing at the entryway to the living room. "Go back to Paris, you know you want to. Just because the both of you agreed to spend some time apart, it doesn't mean staying here in Pine Valley."

Bianca went to sit down on the couch, placing Miranda on her lap. "What do you say, sweetie? Do you want to go back to Paris?"

Miranda nodded vigorously. "Go back to Pah-wis, Mommy."

Kendall joined Bianca on the couch. She could sense the apprehension coming from her baby sister. "It'll work out, Binks. Have faith in Maggie and most of all, have faith in yourself," she spoke reassuringly. "The both of you have already taken the first step. Time apart is good, but at least give Miranda a chance to be close to Maggie, even if the two of you aren't exactly back together yet."

Bianca stood up, still holding Miranda in her arms. She gave her sister a lopsided smile, motioning toward the staircase. "Think you can help me pack? I need to call the Cambias pilot and file a flight plan."

Kendall couldn't help but grin, taking Miranda from her. "Sure thing. You make the call. I'll start throwing everything… I mean, packing your suitcases." She headed towards the stairs, setting Miranda down on the floor and letting her rush up the second floor.

"Looks like Mother and I did do something right for once," still wearing a grin as she climbed the steps. She stopped suddenly, a realization dawning on her. "Oh my God, Kane women actually fixing love lives for once. I hope Hell isn't freezing over."

_-end chapter-_


	9. Chapter 9

**EPILOGUE**

_I am home now, home now  
I've been waiting for forever to find you, find you  
I'm not alone now, alone now  
Cause you've taken in my heart from the cold  
All I know is every time I look into your eyes  
I'm home, I know_

_You're where I belong  
I belong with you  
You're where I belong  
And I know it's the truth  
You're part of my heart  
There's nothing I can do  
Oh you're the one who keeps me warm  
My baby you're where I belong  
**-You're Where I Belong**, Trisha Yearwood_

The sun shone through brightly Bianca's bedroom window, its rays hitting her face at just the right angle to lull her out of sleep. Slowly opening her eyes, she heard the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps coming towards her bedroom. She turned over in bed and within seconds saw her door open, a brown-eyed little girl rushing inside.

Bianca watched as Miranda ran toward her, the child bundled with sheer excitement. Pulling her up onto the bed, she brushed aside a lock of light brown hair and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, sweetie."

A grin spread across Miranda's face. "I twee!" looking down at her small hand as she attempted to hold up three fingers. "One, two, twee!"

"Yes, Miranda. You're three," Bianca laughed.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Go see Maggie?" Miranda tugged her mother's hand.

Smiling, Bianca set Miranda down on the floor and got out of bed. "Come on, let's go wake up Maggie."

They quietly walked across the hall, Bianca letting her daughter knock on the door, then pushing it open. When Miranda looked up at her, she gave the child an approving smile, granting permission to run to Maggie's bedside to wake her up. She stood at the doorway and continued to smile, watching as the little girl peeked under the blankets. What followed was an eruption of giggles, Maggie sitting up in bed and scooping the little girl into her arms.

"Someone wanted to wake you up. It seems she has some news to share," Bianca spoke.

"Oh, really now?" Maggie raised an eyebrow, bringing her attention to Miranda. "Okay, Munchie. What's your news?"

Miranda scrunched her forehead and looked down at her hand. She struggled to hold up three fingers, now giving the blonde a toothy grin. "I twee! It's muh bersday, Maggie!"

"Happy birthday, Miranda!" Maggie pulled her in for a warm hug.

Bianca was still standing at the doorway reveling in the sounds of high-pitched giggles leading to all out laughter. The smile spread across her face, watching Maggie frolic in bed with Miranda, tickling her until they were both nearly out of breath. And then it would start again, this time Miranda going on the assault, trying to find Maggie's ticklish spots.

"Tickle monster!" Miranda shrieked, diving through the barrier of pillows Maggie had set up.

It was only recently that Maggie moved back into the penthouse, both of them confident and ready to reestablish close quarters. To say the past three months were easy would be a lie, their lives seemingly empty at first as they both adjusted to a life apart from one another. Only this time it was with purpose and not used as a form of escape.

Maggie moved in with Anna for the duration, living a life independent of Bianca while still keeping close contact for the sake of Miranda. Not wanting to disappear completely out of the child's life, she made an effort to see Miranda when time permitted, more so spending every other weekend with her.

There's a common belief that time heals and for Bianca and Maggie it did more than that. It strengthened them, both as individuals and as a couple working their way back to one another.

Awkward at first, neither was sure how to approach one another, let alone where the line of intimacy was drawn between them. Deciding it was best to start fresh, Bianca invited Maggie out to dinner their second week back in Paris, a first date in some sense and perhaps another step toward each other's hearts.

Subsequent dates would follow, some planned while others, completely spontaneous. On the rare chance that Maggie got out of class early, she made her way over to Cambias Industries and waited outside in hopes of walking Bianca home from work. Other occasions included when Bianca's board meetings were cancelled, Bianca taking the opportunity to surprise Maggie with lunch in between classes, regardless if it was a limited amount of time.

Like every couple working things out, they still had their share of disagreements. But instead of walking away angry or hurt, they talked it out, learning that patience and compromise were two key aspects in their relationship, one they'd never came to realize before or simply had taken for granted.

Bianca and Maggie would always lead different lives. Bianca being the one with the business mind while Maggie kept her focus on academics, with the goal of one day being able to put the initials, M.D. after her name. And while it could have been the source of where their conflicts arose in the first place, they vowed to be open with one another this time around, instead of harboring the frustrations of their day to themselves.

As the weeks unfolded, a new kind of closeness developed between them. One would say it was newfound appreciation, when in reality it was a rekindling of love. Bianca and Maggie growing closer, the bond between them strengthened as they fell in love with each other all over again.

When Miranda's birthday neared, Maggie thought it was time to take the step to reestablish a physical closeness, in terms of sharing living space once again. Not quite ready to share a bedroom just yet, Maggie moved into the guest room, maintaining a physical sort of distance and still close that she was now near them. For Maggie though, this was somewhat of a huge step, leading her to a make a decision she knew would affect both their lives, one she would share with Bianca on the evening of Miranda's birthday.

--

Maggie pushed open the door to the penthouse, stepping aside so Bianca could push Miranda's stroller inside. The child was sound asleep, completely tuckered out after spending the day at Disneyland Paris, riding any and every ride she pleased, Bianca and Maggie unable to deny any request. Yes, Bianca even rode "It's a Small World," despite her fear of the ride, due to a traumatic experience at Disney World back in the States (to which Maggie got total amusement out of.) Thankfully, Maggie held her hand the whole time, reassuring the brunette that it was not possible for the same kind of incident to happen to an adult.

"We should bring Miranda upstairs and put her into bed," Bianca whispered, gently lifting her daughter out of the stroller. As they walked up the stairs and down the hallway toward Miranda's room, Bianca noticed Maggie go left. "Hey, you're not going to join me in tucking her in?"

"I will. There's just something I need to do. Why don't you change her into some pajamas and I'll be in there shortly, okay?" Maggie replied, hoping the look on her face wasn't giving anything away.

"Okay."

Once Maggie was sure Bianca was occupied inside Miranda's room, she pulled open her drawer and reached for a small velvet box. Tiptoeing across the hallway, she entered the master bedroom, completely taken aback at the work she had Anna do for her while she, Bianca and Miranda spent the day at Disneyland Paris. She went around and finished all the minor details Anna had left for her to do. After marveling at the sight before her once more, she hurried over to Miranda's room.

"Wanna go again, Mommy," Miranda said sleepily as Bianca laid her in bed.

Bianca smiled. "We will, sweetie. I promise, we'll go again."

Maggie entered the room and approached the child's bedside. "And next time, Mommy won't be so scared riding 'It's a Small World,'" earning a nudge in the side by Bianca. "Oof! Okay, I deserved that."

"Yeah," Bianca leaned down and kissed Miranda's forehead. "Good night, baby."

"Nighty night, Miranda. Sleep well," Maggie whispered, fixing the stuffed Lilo doll so it was lying right next to her, while the stuffed Stitch doll sat at the corner of the bed.

Bianca followed Maggie out of the room, leaving the door slightly open behind them. They both stood in the hallway and looked at each other for a long moment.

"So…" Maggie broke the silence, giving Bianca a nervous smile. "I had a great time today."

"Yeah, I did, too," Bianca smiled back, followed by a small yawn. "Wow, I must be tired. It's been quite a day. I guess I'm going to head on to bed."

"Okay," Maggie replied. Instead of going into her room, she followed Bianca into the master bedroom and waited for her reaction.

Bianca pushed open her bedroom door and walked inside, at first wondering why the room was so dim. Venturing in further, she stepped into what looked like a romantic oasis. Candles were lit in almost every corner of the room, white rose petals scattered all over the floor and on the bed. She closed her eyes for second, thinking it was all a dream but upon reopening them, she realized it wasn't.

None of it was a dream. It was real.

Feeling a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, Bianca leaned into them, knowing that this was all Maggie's doing. "It's beautiful, Maggie," she whispered, completely overwhelmed. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Maggie whispered back. She took her by the hand and led her toward the bed. Standing near its edge, she pulled Bianca close and leaned in, their lips meeting for a sweet kiss. "I'm so glad we never gave up on each other because these last three months caused me to fall in love you with all over again."

"God, Maggie. It did the same for me, too. I love you more now that I ever have and I'm so sor…" Maggie pressed a finger to her lips.'

"Shhh…" Maggie smiled lovingly. "No more apologies. What's happened in the past, stays in the past. We're here now and it's all that matters. Just you, me and the future we are going to spend together."

"Future? Together?"

"Yes," Maggie brushed back a lock of Bianca's dark brown hair, her hands lingering on her face. She lost herself in Bianca's eyes, her heart feeling like it was going to burst out of her chest. Pulling out the velvet box she kept in her pocket, she opened it for Bianca and held it out.

"Oh, my God, Maggie…" staring at the set of rings.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Bianca. Loving you and raising Miranda together as a family, the one we're meant to be," Maggie's voice was filled with deep emotion, continuing with her words. "I love you so much. You are the last person I want to see before I go to sleep at night and your face is the first thing I want to wake up to every morning. Please tell me that you'll spend the rest of your life with me."

Bianca smiled through the tears that were streaming down her face. "Yes, Maggie," pulling the blonde into her arms and capturing her lips for a searing kiss. "Yes."

Maggie's forehead was pressed against Bianca's. Reaching up with her hand, she ran her fingers along Bianca's cheek. "I want to move back into the master bedroom with you, Bianca. I want to come home."

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear those words from you," Bianca held onto Maggie, pulling her onto the bed. "You're already home, Maggie. This is us," kissing her passionately. "Forever."

They would revel in each other's embrace for the duration of the night, a love rekindled as they gave into their passion. The moon shone brightly outside their window, while inside each candle extinguished itself one by one, their room bathing in moonlight. Neither of them seemed to notice the change, as they made love for the first time in months. A romantic, slow, freeing love, one filled with rediscovery and reconnection.

Bianca and Maggie, together again, joined as one for the rest of their lives.

_**-fin-**_


End file.
